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A LABOR group is asking for the resolution in the investigation that has grounded Sulpicio Lines Inc.’s (SLI) entire passenger ship fleet for over a year.
Fueled by the recent tragedy involving a passenger vessel owned by the Aboitiz Transport System (ATS), Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said SLI’s workers suffered enough with the continued suspension of SLI vessels.
“Our workers have been affected. Even vendors and taxi driver at the pier areas are affected. Why does it take Marina (Maritime Industry Authority) too long to decide on their investigation?,” Mendoza said in a press conference yesterday at the Japan Seafarers Union - Philippine Seafarers Union Mariner’s Court Building, Pier 1, Cebu City.
Genaro Tasan, president of the SLI workers' association, said that SLI has over 800 workers, but only 314 continue to work, mostly assigned to cargo ships, which were allowed to sail by Marina.
The rest of the employees, mostly crewmembers of grounded ships, were forced to take indefinite leaves until their ships could sail again.
Tasan said these employees have had difficulty finding other livelihoods, and have failed to send their children to school.
Others, he said, have had their families broken, their spouses leaving them because they were unable to support the family.
Representative Mendoza said he would initiate action through the House of Representatives to life the shipping ban on SLI, though he did not say when.
The congressman said he has sent letters to Marina a number of times asking to lift the ban, but the agency has not responded.
“I stressed that red tape and bureaucracy are the main culprits of these snail-like investigations, thus causing much delay at the expense of the workers,” Mendoza said.
He said he hoped that the sinking of ATS’ SuperFerry 9 last Sept. 6 in the waters off the Zamboanga Peninsula, wherein 10 out of over 1,000 passengers and crew were killed, would not compromise the SLI investigation.
SLI’s passenger vessels were grounded after the sinking of the company’s MV Princess of the Stars off the coast of Sibuyan Island, Romblon, in June 21 last year.
