Sen. Raffy Tulfo on Wednesday, Oct. 8, called for the filing of appropriate charges against the erring Business Processing Outsourcing (BPO) companies that forced their employees back to work after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu.

Tulfo said this during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment, and Human Resources Development, citing in particular a company that allegedly blocked the emergency exit of its facility to prevent employees from getting out and reaching a safe place, as well as another that forced its workers to immediately return to work after the quake.

He shared that over the weekend, he went to Cebu to offer his condolences and extend help to those affected by the earthquake, and he saw the suffering of the residents there — some lost their lives, others lost their homes, and many more were affected.

“I want cases filed against these BPOs. I seriously want these BPOs to be sued and shut down if necessary. They should be held accountable. It's unbelievable how they prioritized profit over the safety of their employees,” he pointed out.

Tulfo cited the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Labor Advisory 17, Series of 2022, which states that during natural calamities such as earthquakes or typhoons, companies must prioritize the safety of workers and cannot penalize those unable to report to work due to safety risks, and Department Order No. 252, Series of 2025, which recognizes the right of workers to refuse work without threat or reprisal from the employer if an imminent danger exists in the workplace.

“Anong silbi ng mga advisory na ‘to kung hindi naman natin maipapatupad? Dapat may katapat na parusa ang mga kumpanyang lumalabag sa DOLE Orders at Advisories ninyo (What’s the point of these advisories if we can’t even enforce them? Companies that violate your DOLE Orders and Advisories should face corresponding penalties),” Tulfo said.

Kyle Enero, spokesperson of the BPO Industry Employees' Network–Cebu, lamented the “business-as-usual” policy of some BPO companies even during natural disasters, saying this is not the first time BPO workers have been treated unfairly.

When asked by Tulfo about the agency’s actions, DOLE Region VII Director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe said they already investigated and issued work stoppage orders against six Cebu BPO companies, including Iploy OPC, Optum Global Solutions, EXL Services, Alorica, Gagfa IT Tower, and Teleperformance IT Park Cebu.

He shared that two of the six companies have already complied with the agency’s Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) requirements.

The regional office is also set to issue inspection authority to 23 other BPO companies in Cebu with reported OSH and labor violations.

It can be recalled that after visiting Cebu to extend help to affected families, Tulfo filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 149 last Oct. 6 to ensure protection of employee rights in the BPO sector during calamities and emergencies.