The Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has been pushing for the criminalization of OSH standards violations, and the recent building collapse in Angeles, Pampanga that has already claimed 27 lives makes this campaign more urgent than ever.
This April 2026 special issue of ASSERT is one of the outputs of Ms. Beatrice Fernandez’ students from the UP Manila Political Science NSTP program. The IOHSAD team extends our gratitude for the efforts and work poured by the students, from planning and actual press work, to complete and release this newsletter.
This report examines the current state of OSH in the country, situating workplace safety within its broader political, economic, and social context.
The acquittal of all the accused is a complete miscarriage of justice. It is evidence to a corrupt justice system that allows public and company officials to pay off deadly crimes against workers. It did not only deny victims and their families justice, it had also set an atrocious precedent that perpetuated a culture of negligence on OSH standards and thus preventable fatalities, injuries, and diseases at work.
"The OSH Law must be more than a compliance checklist or a symbolic policy. It must serve as a real and just mechanism for protecting workers' health, safety, and fundamental human rights."
