Bello partially lifts work stoppage order on Skyway project

FILE: Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III during a press conference on Thursday (Sept. 27, 2018), which is held at the DOLE main office in Intramuros, Manila.(PNA photo by Gil Calinga)

MANILA – The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Tuesday ordered the partial lifting of the supplemental work stoppage order issued by its National Capital Region (NCR) office on Monday, stopping the construction of the Skyway extension project following Saturday’s accident in Muntinlupa City.

“Wherefore, premises considered the Supplemental Work Stoppage Order dated 23 November 2020 is hereby partially lifted, without prejudice to the result of the 24 November 2020 hearing, such that the first Work Stoppage Order issued on even date shall remain,” the order signed by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said.

It also allowed the works to continue in the unaffected areas of the projects.

“In this regard, this Office recognizes the utmost national Importance underlying the said skyway extension project. Equally acknowledged is the fact that the suspension of said project. The unaffected areas will cause prejudice to the employees assigned/deployed there at whose livelihood heavily depends on the said project’s continued operation,” Bello added.

Since the initial work stoppage order is still in effect, there will be no construction works in the affected area.

“Accordingly, EEI Corporation/Skyway extension projects and/or Mr. Jose Q. Ilagan and those involved subcontractors, if any, are directed to immediately stop the construction activity in the affected area if the construction site of the said project,” it added.

The order said the EEI Corporation, in a letter dated Nov. 23, manifested that the incident is an isolated case and that it has strict safety protocols in place and maintains that it is conducting a full risk assessment and mitigation to determine the exact cause of the incident.

It added that the company explained that considering the progress of the ongoing works, the stoppage of all works in the entire Skyway extension project would present further risk and additional peril on the works.

A motorist was killed and six others were injured when a steel girder fell on some vehicles under the project site along the East Service Road in the city on November 21.