Dela Rosa urges gov't to protect welfare of security guards

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa urged the government to ensure the welfare of security guards as they also play a crucial role in maintaining peace and order initiatives within communities.

Dela Rosa on Saturday urged the Philippine National Police Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies to properly coordinate with the Department of Labor and Employment in providing necessary assistance to all licensed security guards in the country.

He said the PNP SOSIA should always monitor the welfare of security guards so they would be engaged in untoward incidents.

“SOSIA, being the regulatory agency of all these security guards and security agencies, hindi ba ninyo mino-monitor iyan? Kaya nasisiraan ng bait iyong ibang security guard dahil iyong iba, ilang buwan na hindi pa rin sinuswelduhan ng kanilang agency,” he stressed, citing a recent public hearing on incident involving a security guard assaulting a motorcycle rider.

Dela Rosa lamented that security guards usually work up to 20 hours per day with no rest days.

The senator sees that the increase of “fly-by-night" operations of security agencies can be attributed to the below minimum wage of security guards.

“These were pointed as some of the reasons for incidents that show security guards' temperament and evasion of responsibilities,” he said.

“I would like to remind SOSIA to constantly coordinate with DOLE and DOLE should act on it so we can prevent a repeat of such an incident,” he added.

He likewise urged private security firms to ensure that heir employees are well and fairly treated.

“Security guards should not be performing duties outside their security functions,” he stressed.