- DOLE initiated an investigation on Eddie Garcia’s accident.
- Labor group FFW praised DOLE’s investigation of the Eddie Garcia incident.
The Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) has started investigating the accident that caused the death of screen veteran Eddie Garcia.
DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello on Friday confirmed that the OSHC is now looking into the accident that involved veteran actor Eddie Garcia during the shoot of the GMA Network series Rosang Agimat.
In an interview during the wake of the late actor, Bello said the investigation is already ongoing at the OSHC.
“It is not the DOLE that will investigate but the Occupational Safety and Health Center, executive director Noel Binag. It’s ongoing,” he said.
“Need bigyan value workplace ng workers, napakahalaga ‘yun,” he added.
Last June 8, Eddie Garcia figured in an accident during the taping of Rosang Agimat. Initial reports said he suffered from a heart attack but it was later confirmed to be a severe neck injury after the actor tripped on a cable, causing him to fall face first on the ground.
He was comatose for more than a week before succumbing to his injuries on Thursday, June 20.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Free Workers (FFW) lauded the investigation initiated by the OSHC.
In a statement, FFW Vice President Julius Cainglet said the accident of Eddie Garcia should be a lesson to all that the Occupational Safety and Health Standards law should be strictly enforced.
“The new OSH Law should be taken seriously. It is not intended for the manufacturing and construction industries only. It is intended for implementation and application in all industries, showbiz included,” he said.
“The set of a television series is definitely a workplace; and the producers, as employers, cannot deny this as the actors and crew are their employees,” Cainglet added.
President Duterte signed the OSH Law in 2018.
It ensures a safe and healthful workplace for workers by affording them full protection against all hazards at work. The law also provides that any person who manages, controls, or supervises the work is compelled to ensure that the place of employment is safe for workers, and should be free from hazardous conditions likely to cause death, illness, or physical harm to workers.
Many netizens, including actresses Sharon Cuneta and Judy Ann Santos, have shared their dismay about the incident that they say could have been prevented.
Judy Ann took to Instagram to share her sentiments about the accident.
https://www.instagram.com/p/By7hEYsnbFx/?igshid=1dr6a1m3kro5m
Cuneta, on the other hand, has already edited her previous strong-worder post which said “He should not have died yet. Had there been no neglect of safety for the actors, he would have lived to more than 100…!!!”
Meanwhile, GMA Network has yet to conclude it’s own investigation on the matter.
