GMA fined ₱890,000 over occupational safety violations in Eddie Garcia’s accident

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 23) — The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has fined GMA Network ₱890,000 over occupational safety and health violations surrounding the accident that led to the death of veteran actor Eddie Garcia.

GMA said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that it has received a copy of the December 2 order from DOLE’s Metro Manila office and has appealed to Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to junk the order.

“GMA will proceed with the necessary steps as soon as the DOLE resolves its appeal,” the network said.

The network was fined ₱810,000 for its supposed failure to submit the necessary work accident or illness report to the DOLE within 24 hours after Garcia’s accident on the set of an upcoming TV show.

It was fined another ₱80,000 for having no safety officer and no first-aid personnel on the day Garcia tripped at the set of an upcoming TV show.

DOLE National Capital Region director Sarah Buena Mirasol had earlier announced their findings in September during the House Appropriations committee’s hearing on the proposed budget of the agency for 2020.

Garcia tripped and fell to the ground during a taping for a TV series in June in Tondo, Manila. He broke his neck and slipped into a comatose state for nearly two weeks before he passed at the age of 90 on June 20.

In June, GMA said it has been its practice to have medical personnel and ambulance crew on standby whenever the production is executing big action scenes during taping.