Construction sites in the Philippines are unsafe and deadly. Cebu City has a new proposal to prevent accidents on construction sites. CCTV cameras.
To improve safety for construction workers in Cebu City, Councilor Rey Gealon proposed installing CCTV cameras.
This proposal was discussed during the City Council’s regular session on Wednesday.
His proposed ordinance is named the “2024 OBO Central Monitoring System of the City of Cebu.”
Gealon proposed using CCTV cameras to monitor construction activities in Cebu City, aiming to ensure worker safety and compliance with regulations.
If approved, the ordinance would regulate CCTV use to protect privacy, with footage accessible only to the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and authorized personnel.
The cameras would help ensure construction meets safety standards and adheres to the National Building Code of the Philippines (PD 1096), which aims to safeguard life, health, and public welfare by setting minimum standards for building construction and maintenance.
Gealon’s proposed ordinance requires CCTV cameras for all construction, demolition, and renovation projects in Cebu City with a gross floor area of at least 250 square meters or buildings that are at least 2 stories high.
These cameras must operate 24/7 and be repaired immediately if damaged to avoid penalties.
The Office of the Building Official (OBO) will issue Certificates of Compliance for CCTV installations and collect related fees: P250 for inspection, P5 per camera for processing, and P100 per certificate.
Penalties for non-compliance include:
- P1,000 for a first offense
- An additional P3,000 if non-compliance continues for one month
- P5,000 for each additional month of non-compliance
Violators may also face imprisonment of 6 to 12 months or fines ranging from P3,000 to P5,000.
The ordinance has been sent to the Council’s Committee on Laws, Ordinances, and Styling for review.
This proposal is stupid. It is a waste of money and places an undue burden on construction companies. There are also several questions here:
Who will be reviewing the CCTV footage and how often will they be reviewing it?
Where will the CCTV footage be stored?
Are there any statistics that back up this proposal as a means of ensuring compliance with safety standards?
This proposal is also unnecessary as laws already exist to protect construction workers. They are called the Occupational Health and Safety Standards.
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| https://library.laborlaw.ph/r-a-11058-occupational-safety-and-health-standards/ |
How are often are these standards enforces? How often are construction sites inspected? Are there enough inspectors to go around? I don't know the answers to any of those questions but before a new ordinance is passed it ought to be investigated as to why the current laws are not enough to protect construction workers and the public.
The Philippines does not need more laws when the current laws are not being enforced.
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