The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has identified multiple violations of occupational safety and health and general labor standards by Atienza Interisland Ferries Inc., the owner and operator of the MV June Aster, which caught fire off Coron, Palawan, on September 9.
During a DOLE Central Office hearing, DOLE MIMAROPA presented the company’s alleged violations, including underpayment of wages and nonpayment of overtime pay, night shift differential, holiday pay, premium pay for special days and rest days, and non-provision of required benefits.
The company was also found to have deficiencies in its safety programs, including its Fire Fighting and Emergency Response Plan, Hazard Prevention Program, and Occupational Safety and Health Program.
DOLE also cited the lack of adequate personal protective equipment, the absence of a trained safety officer, and the company’s failure to submit required OSH administrative reports.
For violations of occupational safety and health standards, the company may face fines ranging from P1,000 to P5,000 per day, as well as a P100,000 penalty for incidents involving workers who were injured as a result of the cited violations.
