Hanjin stopped from hiring local labor in Zambales

The Zambales provincial government has stopped Korean shipbuilding firm Hanjin from recruiting local labor due to its refusal to bear the hospital or burial expenses of workers who figured in accidents or work-related illnesses at Hanjin.

At least eight work-related deaths prompted Governor Amor Deloso on Wednesday to stop Hanjin from recruiting workers in the province.

"Every time a Hanjin worker dies, regardless of whether he or she is directly hired or subcontracted, the provincial government shoulders the medical or funeral expenses. That's P50,000 for every case," Deloso told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, parent company of INQUIRER.net.

"As a lawyer, I cannot file a case against Hanjin because it always passes the liability to the subcontractors. The subcontractors tell me, on the other hand, that it was Hanjin's liability. What do you do?" he said.

Deloso said he would lift the labor recruitment ban only if Hanjin owned the responsibility for the safety of workers.

Another worker at the shipyard of the Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Phil. Inc. in Subic, Zambales, died of malaria on May 20, the Task Force Hanjin of the provincial government said on Thursday.

Rodel Endalaga, 28, was the second Hanjin worker who had died of the mosquito-borne virus since last week, the task force said in a report. A blood smear test confirmed he had the virus P. falciparum, according to task force co-chair Ramon Lacbain II.

Malaria was also the confirmed cause of death of Mark Anthony Daan, 28, on May 14. His six co-workers in the subcontracting firm Less Builders survived.

Endalaga's identification card showed he was working at Hanjin's motor pool as a "helper mechanic" for already a year. He lived in the village of Aningway-Sakatihan in Subic town where malaria is "endemic," according to a report released by the Department of Health (DoH) last January.

Lacbain said the first aid medical slip issued by the Hanjin clinic to Endalaga on May 16 showed him to be suffering from fever for 10 days. The nurse, identified only as "D. Gonzales," recommended medical examination.

"Hanjin's health care workers did not bring [Endalaga] to the Subic municipal health clinic. He went there by himself," Lacbain said, citing the accounts of Endalaga's co-workers.

His family took him to the San Marcelino District Hospital on May 18 and transferred him to the James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital in Olongapo City where he died. He has three children aged 5, 3 and 2.

Endalaga's wife, Gemalyn, said Hanjin did not extend help in paying for hospitalization or funeral service costs.

Pyeong Jong Yu, Hanjin general manager, did not reply when sought for comment on Thursday.

Dr. Rio Magpantay, director of the DoH in Central Luzon, said his office has been investigating recent malaria cases.

In January, DoH officials declared the malaria outbreak to be "under control." The DoH's National Epidemiology Center counted 321 malaria cases among workers and residents around Hanjin's shipyard from January to June 2007, a report showed.

The center's investigation showed that "the village with the highest attack rate was Barangay Cawag where Hanjin's construction site is situated."

Of the 201 cases monitored from January to May 2007, at least 183 originated in Cawag, five in Naugsol, five in Mangan Vaca, two in Calapacuan and six in other villages.

The figures rose to 321 in June 2007.

Subic town reported 85 malaria cases in 2003, 68 in 2004, 151 in 2005, and 261 in 2006. By Tonette Orejas - Inquirer Central Luzon Desk