THE Association of Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) is now asking the local Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-10), Cagayan de Oro City Health Office and the Regional Health Office to check on whether Oroport Cargohandling Services, Inc (Oroport) at Macabalan Pier this city is complying with the health standards set by law

August 5, 2008

THE Association of Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) is now asking the local Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-10), Cagayan de Oro City Health Office and the Regional Health Office to check on whether Oroport Cargohandling Services, Inc (Oroport) at Macabalan Pier this city is complying with the health standards set by law.

ALU-TUCP also accused Oroport of discriminating members of their affiliate union, Phase II Port Union (PPWU-ALU-TUCP) as workers who are affiliated with the other union were allowed to go back to work after a few days while PPWU-ALU-TUCP are workers made to go on leave for months.

The PPWU-ALU-TUCP is set to stage a protest rally at Divisoria tomorrow to “bring to public attention” the labor violations of Oroport and how the same company violated the peace pact brokered by City Councilor Edgar Cabanlas that was signed by all concerned parties.

ALU-TUCP- Northern Mindanao Region regional vice president Nicandro Borja said the three agencies should “investigate further the health implications” of the confirmed presence of 26 Oroport workers found to have “findings” or “spots” during their annual chest X-rays conducted last October 14-17, 2005 by Cedar Clinical Laboratory in Pinikitan this city.

“We are concerned about the health not only of our affiliated workers, but other people working and passing through the port as well,” he said in his letter to Ligutom.

For his part, Ligutom told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that he is still in Singapore and would be arriving this Monday to check on all the complaints forwarded by ALU-TUCP.

But Oroport management spokesperson Noel Tan said their company has been complying with all the health standards mandated by law including the dockworkers’ health and safety standards.

He said they have their annual physical examination at this Cedar Clinical Laboratory and that all X-Ray with “positive results are automatically referred for second expert opinion just to be sure.”

“Some of the results are found to be negative after review,” he said.

Tan said they have allotted a minimum of P50,000 per employee to cover for any hospitalization, accident and any other illness “sometimes even including any other sickness already not related to their work at our company.”

He said aside from having Dr. Dante Roble as their resident doctor, they also have four nurses who can cater to the health needs of their workers and even their dependents in a 24-hour basis.

Also, he said they have a tie-up with Cagayan Capitol College Hospital that allows any Oroport worker can immediately go to the same with the company footing the bill.

“And they are allowed to go on medical leave with pay and we even supply them with free medicines,” he said. “We are the only company that provides its workers with so much health benefits.”

But Borja accused Oroport of discrimination saying those who are members of the MLU-FFW are given more advantage by the company’s human resource department than that of their PPWU-ALU-TUCP members.

“Oroport HRD only allowed 10 days sick leave for six affected workers belong to the MLU-FFW before issuing them a fit-to-work clearance, compared to the remaining 20 workers affiliated with ALU-TUCP who were given three-to-six months sick leave to undergo treatment and rest/rehabilitation before being allowed to go back to work,” he said.

“We fear the six MLU-FFW members who were allowed back to work after only 10 days treatment might pose a health risk to our affiliated workers as well as other people working and passing through the Cagayan de Oro Port,” he added.

Borja said they also fear that the Oroport medical team has been remiss for allowing 26 potential cases of pulmonary disease to occur within its jurisdiction.

“We believe health standards in LGUs would already consider the number of incidents of pulmonary disease vis a vis the total number of workers in Oroport’s work force a virtual epidemic,” he said.

But Tan for their part said if ALU-TUCP is referring to tuberculosis (TB) or any pulmonary sickness, then this is not entirely the fault of Oroport.

“Sometimes it depends on how they take care of themselves. TB has not yet been eradicated in the Philippines. What we can do is have them checked, put them on medical leave and cure them as part of the company’s health care program per dockworkers’ health standards,” he said.

“Health is everybody’s responsibility not just company but also the individual…even the union’s responsibility,” he also added.

Borja is nevertheless asking the three line-agencies to look into this health concern.

“Your soonest action on this request would be sincerely appreciated by the undersigned since it is the general public’s health, and not only those of Oroport’s workers, which appears to be at risk in this situation,” he said. by Lizanilla J. Amarga

(2006)

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One Response to “THE Association of Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) is now asking the local Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE-10), Cagayan de Oro City Health Office and the Regional Health Office to check on whether Oroport Cargohandling Services, Inc (Oroport) at Macabalan Pier this city is complying with the health standards set by law”

RED PABUA on August 31st, 2010 10:04 pm

HAVE A NICE DAY !I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY MY STATUS AS OF NOW REGARDING THE NOTICE I RECEIVED FROM MY EMPLOYEE ONE OF PRIVATE HOSPITAL WHICH I WORK HERE IN BUKIDNON…I AM AN UNDERBOARD STAFF NURSE AND PRESENTLY WORKING FOR ALMOST FIVE YEARS..I JUST RECEIVED NOTICE FROM ADMINISTRATION OFFICE AND HUMAN RESOURCES ,THE SUBJECT IS ADVICED TO TAKE THE BOARD EXAM…THE LETTER CONTENT LIKE THIS…PEACE ,THE MANAGEMENT OF HOSPITAL IS THANKFUL FOR THE SERVICES YOU RENDERED IN THIS INSTITUTION AS A STAFF NURSE ,HOWEVER ,IT IS A REQUIREMENT THAT A PERSON WHO GIVES DIRECT PATIENT CARE MUST HAVE TAKEN AND PASSED THE LICENSURE EXAMINATION TO ENSURE LEGALITY.WITH THIS WE ADVISE YOU TO GO ON LEAVE OF ABSENCE WITHOUT PAY AND HAVE A REVIEW SO THAT YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE COMING BOARD EXAM.IT WILL BE BETTER IF STARTING SEPTEMBER 16 ,2010 YOU WILL NO LONGER REPORT TO FOCUS MORE ON YOUR REVIEW SO THAT GREAT OPPURTUNITY IN TAKING THE EXAM WILL BE ACHIEVED….IN THIS KIND OF LETTER DO WE HAD AN ASSURANCE TO BE BACK AFTER THE EXAM?I AM REGULAR IN THE SAID INSTITUTION I’LL TAKE THE BOARD EXAM LAST YEAR AND WAS FAILED,.AS OF NOW I NEED TO SAVE MONEY TO PREPARE FOR THE NEXT EXAM..IN THIS KIND OF LETTER WE R FORCED TO LEAVE…IF WE SIGN LETTER LIKE THIS ITS MEANS THAT IF WE DIDNT PASS THE THE EXAM WE CANNOT GO BACK TO WORK COZ THERES NO WORDS THERE THAT AFTER THE BOARD EXAM WE CAN GO BACK ON EXPECTED DATE…PLS I WANT ANSWER FOR THIS…THANK YOU VERY MUCH

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