Steel Plant Raids Leave Filipino Workers Displaced, Labor Groups Demand Action

MANILA, Philippines — Labor groups are pressing the government to provide assistance to approximately 900 Filipino workers who have been displaced after authorities shut down three steel plants in Luzon and Mindanao over alleged safety, labor, and regulatory violations. In separate statements, labor groups raised alarm over the lack of immediate assistance for an estimated over 900 workers left jobless, following the government’s raids in the steel plants of Pampanga, Misamis Oriental, and Davao City. While law enforcement agencies cited regulatory violations— including the presence of undocumented foreign workers, who are mostly Chinese nationals, the illegal possession and use of radioactive industrial materials, and the production of substandard steel — labor groups stressed that local employees are bearing the brunt of the crackdown. Kilusang Mayo Uno Southern Mindanao said workers affected by the Davao operation were left with little clarity or immediate support after the plant was shut down. Across the three plants in Misamis Oriental, Pampanga and Davao City, workers have lost jobs or income as authorities investigate the alleged violations, the group said. "Rather than feeling rescued, workers described experiencing fear, intimidation, and uncertainty. More troubling is what happened after the raid: the same government agencies that claimed to have acted in the workers' interest provided no immediate assistance, livelihood support, or clear plan for the hundreds of employees who suddenly lost their jobs and source of income," the group added. Employers may face investigation for the alleged violations, but workers should not become "collateral damage," Federation of Free Workers President Sonny Matula told Philstar.com. Matula's group has urged the Department of Labor and Employment to determine what wages, benefits, livelihood assistance or alternative employment should be provided to affected workers. "Sa workplace safety, hindi puwedeng kanya-kanyang inspeksyon at kanya-kanyang diskarte," Matula said. (When it comes to workplace safety, agencies cannot just conduct separate inspections and follow their own approaches. The law puts DOLE at the center of OSH enforcement and inter-agency coordination.) Republic Act 11058, or the Occupational Safety and Health Law, gives the labor secretary visitorial and enforcement powers over workplace safety standards. It also requires DOLE to establish mechanisms for coordination with other government agencies. "That is why we are humbly asking Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino to take the lead. Maraming ahensiya ang maaaring tumulong, pero dapat malinaw kung sino ang nasa manibela. Sa kaligtasan ng manggagawa, coordination is not bureaucracy—it can save lives," Matula added. (That is why we are humbly asking Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino to take the lead. Many agencies can help, but it must be clear who is at the wheel. When it comes to worker safety, coordination is not bureaucracy—it can save lives.) Steel plants raided. Authorities conducted a series of raids on steel plants in Misamis Oriental, Pampanga and Davao City this year that uncovered alleged immigration, labor, and safety violations, as well as the use of radioactive-bearing materials and the manufacture of substandard steel products. The operations began with a May 2026 raid on the Philippine Sanjia Steel Corporation in Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental, where 69 Chinese nationals and one Filipino were arrested; and continued with a July 19, operation at Chuang Xing Steel Corporation in Magalang, Pampanga, which led to the arrest of several Chinese nationals and one Filipino and the later cancellation of six Chinese workers’ employment permits. In August 2026, authorities then raided the Davao Mighty Steel Corp. in Davao City, where 10 Chinese nationals and four Filipinos were taken into custody. About the radioactive materials, Matula told Philstar.com, that 100 workers initially examined reportedly showed no acute symptoms. "This does not eliminate the need for continuing medical monitoring," Matula added.