Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 355

Introduced by Reps. TEDDY A. CASIÑO and NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

RESOLUTION
DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT, TO CONDUCT
AN INVESTIGATION, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, ON THE ILLEGAL
TERMINATION OF 416 FILIPINO WORKERS BY UNITED STATES BUSINESSMAN
LAURENCE KEVIN FISHMAN, OWNER OF SKYTECH INTERNATIONAL
DENTAL LABORATORIES, WHO CLOSED SHOP, LEFT THE PHILIPPINES, AND
BELATEDLY INFORMED THE WORKERS BY ELECTRONIC MAIL

WHEREAS, 416 Filipino workers have been left jobless and unpaid by an American businessman
who closed shop in Manila allegedly due to bankruptcy;

WHEREAS, Laurence Kevin Fishman, chief executive officer and owner of Skytech International
Dental Laboratories in Sta. Mesa, Manila, sent an e-mail from the United States on August 24, 2010,
informing the company’s senior officers based here that he would close shop effective August 25,
2010 “due to bankruptcy;”

WHEREAS, Skytech engages in the production of dental prosthetics used for the company’s
international clients and has laboratories in Vietnam and China and is headquartered in Los Angeles,
California under the corporate name of Trident Dental Laboratories;

WHEREAS, even Fishman's executive vice president for Manila operations, Wilma Ledler, who
received the e-mail, was shocked with the decision, as this left all their workers with unpaid salaries
and severance pays amounting to at least P50 million and a long list of unpaid obligations, including
back rentals of P1.7 million, P500 million in electricity bills and obligations to local suppliers also
reaching millions;

WHEREAS, the now jobless Filipino workers do not believe in Fishman’s claims that he was losing
money since the company employed three shifts of technicians practically 24 hours a day;

WHEREAS, Congress should look into how Fishman was able to close shop and retrench his
workers by remote control in order to craft measures to prevent similar incidents and ensure the
protection of workers rights in this age where major management decisions are relayed and
implemented via electronic means;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Committee on Labor and Employment

conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, on the illegal termination of 416 Filipino workers by
United States businessman Laurence Kevin Fishman, owner of Skytech International Dental
Laboratories, who closed shop, left the Philippines, and belatedly informed the workers by
electronic mail.

Adopted,

TEDDY A. CASINO NERI JAVIER COLMENARES

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