■ METRO AYALA WORKERS PONDER THEIR FATE
Understandably, workers of Metro Ayala Center Cebu are worried about their future. The fire that struck the building last Friday night was still ongoing nearly 24 hours later. Those who reported yesterday underwent a head count, but there was no word yet on when they would be returning to work. For one saleslady, who asked not to be named, she was just thankful that they were all safe. The Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. (MRSGI) assured that it would take care of its employees in the Metro Ayala branch. “The safety and security of our employees are our primary concern. We will take care of them,” said Vincent Tomaneng, MRSGI corporate secretary and chief legal counsel. →
Workers of Metro Ayala Center Cebu are worried if they can still go back to work, while firefighters try their best to stop the flames from engulfing the building.
A saleslady who requested not to be named said she doesn’t know what will happen to her after the disaster that hit their workplace.
“After the fire Friday night, we still reported to work today (yesterday) but we really don’t know if we will still have work to go back to after the fire,” she told SunStar Cebu.
She said their superiors conducted a head count but didn’t say when they’d be able to report back to work. But she is thankful that all of them are safe.
“Thank you, Lord, for keeping us safe, it really hurts watching your workplace burn to ashes,” she said.
The fire started at 9:30 p.m. last Friday. Smoke was detected on the third floor of the toys stockroom of the mall.
Metro Retail Stores Group Inc. (MRSGI) assured that it will take care of its employees in the Metro Ayala branch, where emergency responders continued to fight a fire that had been going on for more than 20 hours already.
“The safety of our employees is our primary concern. We will take care of them,” said Vincent Tomaneng, MRSGI corporate secretary and chief legal counsel.
Dr. Edgar Kristopher Cadungog, who was among those inside the mall when the fire started, said they did not hear any fire alarm when they were still eating inside a fast food outlet near the department store.
“We didn’t know that there was a fire, the crew of the fast food chain where we ate just went outside looking to the direction of the department store and told us that there was a smoke alarm. After that we saw firemen getting in and people inside were asked to vacate the place,” he said.
“There was no fire alarm but we heard the janitors using their whistles, maybe as a warning sign to us. The guards also announced that the escalators will be shut down and they guided us to the exit,” he said.
The safety of our employees is our primary concern. We will take care of them. MRSGI CORPORATE SECRETARY VINCENT TOMANENG