Ben Madilynn
Some workers, retirees, shareholders and stakeholders of Oriental Port and Allied Services Corp. (Opascor) urged their top executives to step down from their posts for alleged “mismanagement and irrational decisions.”
The petition, which was signed on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, by 267 individuals, said that the leaders in question should vacate their posts “to save the company from further damage/bleeding due to mismanagement and irrational decisions.”
Opascor is a Filipino workers-enterprise offering port services to vessels at the Cebu International Port.
“Ang yango-ngo sa mga tawo kay tungod sa pagdumala sa ibabaw nga gilisod-lisod ang mga tawo, nawala na ang workers-enterprise, ang board of directors sa management kay wala nay check and balance, ang gipangayo sa mga tawo kay transparency lang gyud (The people’s unrest is due to the oppressive management, which has led to the demise of worker-enterprise relations. The board of directors has lost its check and balance, and all the people are asking for is transparency),” said Dennis Arciaga, president of Associated Labor Union (ALU) in Cebu, and an employee of Opascor for 20 years.
The petition was passed during the ALU general assembly on Tuesday, which was also attended by Opascor workers, retirees, shareholders, and stakeholders.
“Kaning Opascor, usa ni ka workers-enterprise nga gipanag-iya sa mga tawo, kaning naa karon kay naay original stockholders, shareholders, naa poy walay shares (Opascor is a workers-enterprise owned by the people; this one has original stockholders, shareholders, there are some who do not have shares),” Arciaga said.
Allegations
In the petition, the group claimed that the top leadership of Opascor has intentionally avoided holding elections for the past 20 years, violating the rights of the shareholders and owners as outlined in corporate law.
They also complained about the non-disclosure of financial statements from the top executives. “Non-disclosure of financial status and other pertinent documents of the company and its subsidiaries, which the owners have the right to access. Had there been an annual election, the owners would have never been deprived of this information, as the same should be reported before the conduct of elections,” reads a portion of the petition.
They also alleged that the current leadership has resulted in “unsound decisions,” citing the recent purchase of lots, as well as other real properties, that were not named under Opascor.
The petition also cited nepotism for putting an inexperienced relative in a significant position in the company.
Also cited in the petition was “withholding workers’ increases and limiting overtime in the pretext of cost savings” and retaining and paying “close allies” for P50,000 per month as consultants, while rank and file who availed early retirement were hired back and paid at a minimum wage rate.
The Opascor top executives have yet to issue a statement on the allegations.
