DOLE finds safety breaches, P600-K labor violations in June Aster probe

The Department of Labor and Employment found multiple occupational safety and labor violations by the management of M/V June Aster, the vessel that caught fire off Coron, Palawan in September and left 77 passengers and crew members dead.

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino led an inquiry at the DOLE main office on Thursday, 8 October.

“Ships are built to carry people safely across the seas, not to become their final resting places,” Tolentino said.

DOLE said the vessel’s management lacked required safety programs, emergency response plans, safety committees and trained safety officers.

Inspectors also found insufficient personal protective equipment and failure to submit mandatory occupational safety and health reports.

The department further uncovered more than P600,000 in General Labor Standards violations, including unpaid overtime, holiday, rest day and night shift differentials, withheld service incentive leave benefits and underpaid wages.

M/V June Aster is operated by Atienza Interisland Ferries.

The vessel caught fire on 9 September while sailing from Coron to Manila, killing 77 passengers and crew members.

“We owe the dead a truthful accounting. We owe their families a fair and lawful process,” Tolentino said.

DOLE has yet to impose sanctions on the operator as its investigation continues.

Tolentino said the inquiry is also aimed at preventing a repeat of the tragedy and ensuring assistance for survivors and families of those who died.

“Ang atin pong dapat matutukan dito ay ’yung mga pamilya ng nasawi, ’yung mga crew members ngayon na may trauma pa,” he said.

DOLE said the Employees’ Compensation Commission is prepared to provide assistance and psychological counseling to survivors.