Ched Rick Gatchalian

BIEN Cebu filed formal complaint before before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 7 against several BPO firms, citing multiple labor rights and safety violations during the Cebu earthquake. Facebook/BIEN Cebu

Article (news)

BPO employees seek DOLE action vs. firms over 'business-as-usual' operations during Cebu quake

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1759396186894558864252_122175378248489371_7617113246179703452_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/>BIEN Cebu filed formal complaint before before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 7 against several BPO firms, citing multiple labor rights and safety violations during the Cebu earthquake. Facebook/BIEN Cebu </div><div> </div>MANILA — An independent group of business process outsourcing (BPO) employees filed a complaint before the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office 7 against at least 10 BPO firms, citing multiple labor rights and safety violations during the Cebu earthquake.After <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/10/1/cebu-quake-likely-triggered-by-fault-that-had-not-produced-powerful-tremor-in-past-400-years-1012">a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit Bogo City </a>and left thousands of Cebuanos injured, BPO Industry Employees&#x27; Network (BIEN) Cebu said they received hundreds of complaints of agents who reported labor violations.Among the most alarming reports they received were employees being forced to take calls in the middle of the quake or finding their floor’s exits blocked, according to BIEN.&quot;BIEN Cebu over the course of less than 2 days received hundreds of complaints of agents who were subjected to dangerous policies that did not follow Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Standards as provided by law. Agents were also being forced to report to work, despite their pleas to focus on their safety and their families during this crisis,&quot; the group said in<a href="https://www.facebook.com/cebu.BIEN/posts/pfbid0jRP2ZVLbsdqpx5kzE3TqDQJTQern3wzup2R3cwEgRud38K6AUFDD3QAKp4v58z6Ql"> a statement.</a>The group added that several employees who insisted on not reporting to work were met with notices to explain, sanctions, loss of incentives or benefits, and other supposed &quot;retaliatory actions.&quot;BIEN urged DOLE to investigate the reports and hold the employers accountable under Republic Act 11058, which strengthens OSH standards by mandating employers to ensure safe and healthy workplaces, including proper hazard communication and providing safety equipment.&quot;Ang kini nga example nagpakita lang ug nag-emphasize sa corporate greed sa mga BPO companies ug gi-emphasize ang profit over welfare ug safety sa ilang mga agents mismo,” BIEN Cebu Spokesperson Kyle Enero said.(This example merely shows and emphasizes the corporate greed of BPO companies, highlighting profit over the welfare and safety of their own agents.)As of Thursday, October 2, the <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/2/death-toll-from-cebu-quake-climbs-to-72-0832">death toll from the Cebu earthquake has risen to 72</a>, with at least 2,792 aftershocks recorded, only 14 of which were felt, according to Phivolcs.

Some BPO workers were even forced to take calls in the middle of the quake, or had their floor’s exits blocked, according to BIEN Cebu.

Some BPO workers were even forced to take calls in the middle of the quake, or had their floor’s exits blocked, according to BIEN Cebu.

BPO workers hit firms over 'business-as-usual' stance during Cebu quake

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BPO workers hit firms over 'business-as-usual' stance during Cebu quake

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 02, 2025 05:26 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 03, 2025 11:07 AM PHT

Read More:

BIEN Cebu

BPO

Business process outsourcing

Cebu

Bogo City

DOLE

Department of Labor and Employment

Labor rights

Earthquake

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