Jamaine Punzalan

Government rescuers and local officials check on residents and businesses affected by the building collapse in Barangay Balibago, Angeles, Pampanga on May 25, 2026. Jonathan Callona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

PAMPANGA BUILDING COLLAPSE

Zen Hernandez

ABS-CBN News

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/177976781187020260525-angeles-pampanga-building-collapse-JC9943.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Government rescuers and local officials check on residents and businesses affected by the building collapse in Barangay Balibago, Angeles, Pampanga on May 25, 2026. Jonathan Callona, ABS-CBN News </span></span></span> </div><p>MANILA — Acting Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said Tuesday he would place the agency’s Central Luzon regional director under suspension to give way to an investigation into the collapsed building in Angeles, Pampanga. </p><p>On his first day in office, Tolentino noted that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Region 3 briefly<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/5/25/collapsed-pampanga-building-issued-work-stoppage-order-last-year-over-safety-violations-dole-1159"> shut down the site </a>owned by a foreign national identified as Ernest Lim due to occupational safety standards violations. </p><p>“Kabilang po dito, dapat yung barracks ng mga manggagawa, construction workers, ay hindi dapat sa loob mismo ng gusaling ginagawa. Merong ulat na yung isang barracks ay 5 meters away kaya nabuhay po dun yung isang manggagawa na ang pangalan ay Mr. Alvis,” he said.</p><p>He said the work stoppage order was later lifted after the company, identified as Golden Years Construction Company, supposedly complied.</p><p>“Tumugon daw sila diumano nung magkaroon ng inspection kaya na-lift, naalis yung work stoppage at nagpatuloy yung paggawa,” he said.</p><p>However, Tolentino questioned why no further inspections were conducted after the stoppage order was lifted, especially as the structure continued to rise.</p><p>“Kasi baka nung na-lift yon, eh 4 stories pa lang. Eh ngayon eh 10 stories na ata, o 9, may swimming pool pa,” he said.</p><p>Tolentino said he is now considering changes in DOLE policy to require repeated inspections even after a work stoppage order is lifted.</p><p>“So siguro, isa ito sa mga babaguhin kong patakaran na pag nag-inspect ang DOLE, hindi minsan lang. Dapat mag-inspect ka rin ng pangalawang beses, pangatlong beses, pang-apat na beses, para masigurado na sumusunod yung na-lift na work stoppage,” he said.</p><p>DOLE Region 3 Director Geraldine Panlilio confirmed that the work stoppage order was lifted  a month after the shutdown when the contractor complied with safety requirements. </p><p>“Yung 13 violations po ng occupational safety and health standards at yung absence na po, hindi na po natin nakikita yung danger to life, to the health and safety of the workers, ay wala na po kaya ni-lift po namin ito,” Panlilio said.</p><p>However, Panlilio admitted that no additional inspections were conducted after the initial three inspections, even as construction continued. She clarified that DOLE’s jurisdiction was limited to occupational safety and health standards and did not cover structural safety issues under the building code.</p><p>“As to the structural safety po and other issues under the building code ay hindi po namin yon na jurisdiction,” she said.</p><p>Following the briefing, Tolentino announced that he would place Panlilio under preventive suspension for one month pending investigation. Panlilio, who was right behind him, appeared surprised at the announcement.</p><p>“I’ll be placing Director Panlilio under preventive suspension for one month, while investigation is ongoing,” he said.</p><p>Tolentino added that the Assistant Regional Director of Region 3 would temporarily take over while authorities investigate the incident.</p><p>The <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/25/2-confirmed-dead-18-still-missing-in-pampanga-building-collapse-0735">bodies of four people</a>, including a Malaysian man and two trapped construction workers, have so far been pulled from the debris of the nine-story condominium project that collapsed onto a nearby hotel. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/5/26/18-still-missing-in-pampanga-building-collapse-as-retrieval-ops-start-0942">18 still missing in Pampanga building collapse as retrieval ops start</a><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/5/26/-buhay-ang-kuya-ko-kin-refuse-to-lose-hope-after-angeles-city-building-collapse-rescue-ops-end-0744"></a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/5/26/-buhay-ang-kuya-ko-kin-refuse-to-lose-hope-after-angeles-city-building-collapse-rescue-ops-end-0744">&#x27;Buhay ang kuya ko&#x27;: Kin refuse to lose hope after Angeles City building collapse rescue ops end </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/5/25/angeles-lgu-to-shift-to-retrieval-ops-after-no-signs-of-life-detected-in-collapsed-building-2257">&#x27;No signs of life detected&#x27; in collapsed building </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qldFuyj8ntQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/V79nEbRUoBg?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Acting Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said Tuesday he would place the agency’s Central Luzon regional director to give way to an investigation into the collapsed building in Angeles, Pampanga.</p>

Acting Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino said Tuesday he would place the agency’s Central Luzon regional director to give way to an investigation into the collapsed building in Angeles, Pampanga.

DOLE official faces suspension over Pampanga building collapse

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DOLE official faces suspension over Pampanga building collapse

Zen Hernandez,

ABS-CBN News,

Agence France-Presse

Published May 26, 2026 11:59 AM PHT

|

Updated May 26, 2026 02:29 PM PHT

Read More:

Pampanga

building collapse

DOLE

labor

labor violations

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