(Photo: Jire Carreon/ Rappler)

The Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) expresses its deepest solidarity with the workers, families, and rescue personnel affected by the collapse of a nine-storey building in Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines. In a statement issued on 25 May, BWI-affiliated National Union of Building and Construction Workers (NUBCW) said several workers were reportedly resting inside or around the construction site when the structure suddenly collapsed before dawn, leaving a number of workers dead, injured, and missing beneath the rubble.

NUBCW stressed that construction workers remain among the most vulnerable sectors in the country, often forced to endure exhausting schedules, inadequate facilities, and immense pressure to meet project deadlines. The union said the tragedy reflects the continuing failure to place workers’ safety above profit, while rescue operations remain ongoing as families anxiously await news of their loved ones. The union also underscored that no worker should lose their life simply for trying to earn a living.

The union called for a full, transparent, and independent investigation into the collapse, including accountability for all responsible parties. It also demanded immediate financial, medical, and psychological assistance for affected workers and their families, strict enforcement of occupational safety and health standards under Philippine law, stronger regulation of contracting and subcontracting practices in the construction industry, and criminal, civil, and administrative accountability for those found negligent in ensuring workers’ safety.