Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has urged proper coordination between the Philippine National Police Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to look after the welfare of security guards.
Dela Rosa made the call during the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs’ hearing on an incident involving a security guard in Cebu and the mandatory compliance of security service agencies.
The former top cop reminded the SOSIA of the penal provision under Republic Act 11917 which authorizes the PNP chief to revoke the license to operate security agencies if they violated any provision of the Labor Code of the Philippines.
During the hearing, it was raised that some security guards are working 20 hours per day and they were not given rest days.
Some of them were tagged as “fly-by-night” because their salaries are below the minimum wage.
These were pointed out as some of the reasons for incidents that show security guards’ temperament and evasion of responsibilities.
“SOSIA, being the regulatory agency of all these security guards and security agencies, hindi ba ninyo mino-monitor iyan?”
“SOSIA, being the regulatory agency of all these security guards and security agencies, hindi ba ninyo mino-monitor iyan? Kaya nasisiraan ng bait iyong ibang security guard dahil iyong iba, ilang buwan na hindi pa rin sinuswelduhan ng kanilang agency,” the legislator said.
“Nag-violate sila ng Labor Code of the Philippines, sabihin niyo nag-violate sila tapos aksyunan agad nila na tanggalin ang lisensya.”
“I would like to remind SOSIA, kung lagi kayong nagco-coordinate at kumikilos ang DOLE, siguro ‘di aabot sa mga ganitong pangyayari. All you have to do, DOLE, is to tell SOSIA na itong agency na ito, nag-violate ng Subsection 8 of Section 16 of RA 11197. Ganoon lang. Nag-violate sila ng Labor Code of the Philippines, sabihin niyo nag-violate sila tapos aksyunan agad nila na tanggalin ang lisensya,” the lawmaker added.
Both the DOLE and the PNP SOSIA committed to consider the senator’s recommendations during the hearing.
He likewise urged the PNP-SOSIA to remind the private security agencies that security guards should not be performing duties outside their security functions.
“Nakita ko iyong security guard, naka-gwardiya. Aside sa taga-open siya ng door,
pagpasok, makita mo pa pagkatapos kumain noong customer, sila pa ang maglilinis doon, magpupunas sa table,” Dela Rosa raised.
“You remind them that it is their administrative duty not to do it. Kasi para hindi mababa iyong tingin nila sa security guard,” he added.
