A labor group is calling on the government to conduct safety inspections of all malls nationwide in response to the recent string of fires that has claimed the lives of dozens of workers.
The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) is urging the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to immediately inspect all malls in the country in light of the fire in Metro Ayala Center in Cebu City that has yet to be put off by authorities.
The Gaisano Mall fire came only two weeks after a massive fire ravaged the NCCC Mall in Davao City, claiming the lives of 38 workers trapped inside the department store.
“It is outrageous to see another fire incident taking place in Metro Ayala Mall and Gaisano Mall in Cebu City, when, just 15 days ago, 38 workers perished in the NCCC Mall fire in Davao City. These are not isolated incidents,” TUCP President Raymond C. Mendoza said in a statement.
The Cebu local government has estimated it will most likely take firefighters two days before fully taking out the fire. The Metro Retail Group Inc., for its part, said all customers and mall personnel were evacuated safely, and no one was left inside the burning mall. Mendoza said it is just right for the DOLE and BFP to inspect all malls nationwide, given the “blatant violations” committed by the NCCC Mall to fire-safety codes and noncompliance to occupational safety and health regulations. Inspecting malls, he added, will help in the reduction of fire incidents in department stores.
“There is a widespread violation of malls owners to fire-safety standards and compromise the safety of mall goers and well-being of mall workers to cut costs and make bigger profit for themselves. The ongoing Metro Ayala Mall…and the NCCC Mall fires are symptoms of the wanton disregard of department-store owners to go around our building safety laws and ignore workplace policy on workers’ health and safety,” the labor leader said.
“We have to find out how safe or how fire-risky these other malls nationwide are,” he added.
Associated Labor Unions-TUCP Spokesman Alan A. Tanjusay seconded the recommendation. He argued the DOLE-BFP safety inspection is crucial to ensure that malls are not at risk of fire in time for the forthcoming summer months, when fire incidents are most frequent.
“Fire-safety audit on all malls is important because workers work here and children, old folks and entire families frequent these places. They are places for work, recreation and business. Malls have become very important places in the community, but how safe are our malls in the light of the recent twin fatal fire incidents involving two malls?” Tanjusay said.