KINUMPIRMA ni Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III na nagsasagawa na ng imbestigasyon ang Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC) sa aksidenteng kinasangkutan ng premyadong actor-director na si Eddie Garcia, na nagresulta sa pagpanaw nito.

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“[It’s not] DoLE (Department of Labor and Employment), but the Occupational Safety and Health Center, executive director Noel Binag. Ongoing na,” sabi ng kalihim.

Sinabi ni Bello na ang OSHC ang naatasang alamin kung nakatupad ba ang pamunuan ng GMA-7 sa OSH rules and regulations.

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Labindalawang araw na comatose si Eddie hanggang sa tuluyang bawian ng buhay nitong Huwebes, sa Makati Medical Center.

“Need bigyang value [ang] workplace ng workers, napakahalaga ‘yun,” sabi ni Bello.

Suportado naman ng Federation of Free Workers (FFW) ang isinasagawang imbestigasyon ng OSHC.

Ayon sa FFW, dapat na ang kinasangkutang aksidente ni Eddie ay magsilbing aral sa lahat na seryosohin ang pagpapatupad at pagtalima sa Occupational Safety and Health Standards law.

“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,” sabi ni FFW Vice President Julius Cainglet.

“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,” dagdag ni Cainglet.

Samantala, nabanggit ni Bello na noong kinatawan pa siya ng 1-BAP Party-list ay inisponsor niya noong 2015 ang isang resolusyon upang kilalanin ang mga natatanging ambag ni Eddie sa showbiz industry.

“I sponsored a resolution recognizing the work of Eddie Garcia as a reputable movie actor. He’s one actor who’s very famous, was never involved in any scandal unlike some. He was given recognition by Congress,” sabi ni Bello.

-ANALOU DE VERA at LESLIE ANN G. AQUINO