DAVAO CITY – Over 300 displaced workers at the Davao Mighty Steel Corporation are seeking government assistance after the steel plant in Barangay Ilang, Bunawan District, Davao City, was raided by national authorities for allegedly producing substandard steel products.

Councilor Pamela Librado-Morata, chairperson of the Committee on Civil, Political and Human Rights, and Labor and Employment Opportunities, raised the workers' concerns in a privilege speech before the Davao City Council on Tuesday, August 18.

Morata said more than 200 workers went to the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Monday, August 17, to seek help following the August 13 raid conducted by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The operation reportedly "rescued" 174 Filipino workers who were allegedly exposed to radioactive materials, dust, fumes, waste, and other harmful substances, according to PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Benjamin Acorda Jr.

The NBI and PAOCC conducted the operation with assistance from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine Coast Guard CBRN units, the PCG Special Operations Group, and the Army's 10th Infantry Division.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag later visited Davao City to inspect the facility and the materials seized during the operation, which will be further tested to assess their quality and compliance with government standards.

For the affected workers, however, Morata said their immediate concern was the loss of their livelihoods. She added that during her consultation with the workers, many expressed concern over where they would find new employment following the raid.

"They were asking, where is the rescue when all of us at Mighty Steel have lost our livelihood, and there is no support?" Morata said, citing the workers' sentiments, including their demand for the release of their two-week salary.

According to the workers, the management of Davao Mighty Steel Corporation had not issued an advisory or an official statement regarding their wages, employment status, or the next steps following the raid.

"The City Social Welfare and Development Office profiled the affected workers who sought help from the city. Of the more than 200 workers interviewed, most were male, city residents, and had worked at the firm for three to 10 years," Morata said.

Morata emphasized that the workers' concerns should receive immediate and sustained attention from the local government and should not be addressed solely through temporary relief assistance.

The raid has also affected businesses connected to the steel industry, the councilor said, noting that junk shops and other businesses that supplied or sold scrap metal to Davao Mighty Steel have also experienced disruptions.

Morata said her committee will continue to support the workers by pursuing measures to protect their rights and welfare, including possible employment and other forms of assistance under the Workers Protection and Development Ordinance.

She said the committee would conduct a series of consultations and public hearings throughout August in coordination with the CSWDO, Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Public Employment Service Office (PESO), and other relevant agencies.

"It will focus on labor concerns involving informal, contractual, and emerging sectors, including agency-hired workers," Morata said, adding that these workers need legal protection, social support, skills training, and stronger representation.

The councilor said her office is studying a proposed Workers' Emergency Lifeline Ordinance that would provide temporary aid to workers who lose their jobs due to unexpected events beyond their control.

Morata said the proposed measure could cover workers affected by calamities, pandemics, enforcement actions that result in the suspension or closure of operations, and other emergencies that lead to loss of employment.

In the long term, she said the city government hopes the more than 300 affected workers will be able to return to work. She emphasized that workers hired through agencies remain entitled to protection under the city's WPDO.

"Workers must be protected from undue harm arising from such actions, while the facts are established through a fair, impartial, and transparent investigation conducted in accordance with due process," the councilor said.

Government records list Davao Mighty Steel as an iron-and-steel manufacturing facility in Ilang. The firm has an Environmental Compliance Certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau.

However, according to the authorities, the issuance of an ECC concerns environmental compliance. It does not, by itself, establish that the company's steel products meet all required quality and safety standards.

Reports said the investigation into the company remains ongoing, with authorities examining the seized materials, manufacturing processes, and records before determining whether to pursue further administrative or criminal action.