Board Resolution No. 20-04-08
Grant of Advance Pension for EC Pensioners in Both Public and Private Sector Whose Areas Were Declared Under State of Calamity
WHEREAS, the government must ensure the provision of social protection to the vulnerable and marginalized workers at all times especially in times of calamities brought about by disasters and outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics of diseases;
WHEREAS, the Commission issued Board Resolution No. 14-07-21 dated 28 July 2014 granting the advance three-month pension for EC pensioners in the private sector whose areas were declared under the state of calamity by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC);
WHEREAS, availment of the said advance three-month pension requires the pensioner to apply for said facility which makes it not easily accessible;
WHEREAS, the Commission finds the need to provide immediate financial assistance to EC pensioners in the event that they are faced with further vulnerabilty as a result of a calamity declared in their area by the NDRRMC or by way of a Presidential Proclamation or local declaration;
WHEREAS, the automatic grant of three-month advance EC pension will provide an immediate relief to EC pensioners affected by the calamity;
WHEREAS, an EC pensioner may opt to apply for an additional two to three months advance pension subject to application, assessment and approval by the Systems;
WHEREAS, Article 183 (177) paragraph (c) of P.O. No. 626, as amended, empowers this Commission “to approve rules and regulations governing the processing of claims;”
NOW THEREFORE, ON MOTION DULY MADE AND SECONDED,
This Commission RESOLVES, as it hereby RESOLVED, to prescribe the grant of advance three to six months pension for EC pensioners in the public and private sectors whose areas were declared under the state of calamity by the NDRRMC or by Presidential Proclamation in the following manner:
- Automatic advance three months pension (without need for application) shall be processed by the Systems upon declaration of the calamity and covers the month when the calamity is declared and the succeeding months. If the pension for the month of declaration has been processed prior to the calamity declaration, the Systems shall immediately process the 3 months advance payment This applies only if the pensioner still has 3 months or more of remaining
- Additional 2 to 3 months advance payment may be applied by the EC pensioner which shall be assessed by the Systems based on the remaining number of pension
- Release of the advance pension shall be done through the bank account of the EC pensioners where the EC pension is normally received or through the most facilitative
RESOLVED FURTHER, that upon said the Commission may extend the number of months of advance pension depending on the extent of the damage to lives and properties in the abovementioned areas;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Systems shall adjust their procedures and systems to implement this Resolution;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Systems shall prescribe the corresponding guidelines for purposes of the implementation of this Resolution;
RESOLVED FINALLY, that this Resolution shall take effect immediately after its publication in the newspaper of general publication and copy of this Resolution be furnished to the Systems for guidance and compliance.
DONE, this 29th day of April 2020, in Makati City, Philippines.
(SGD) SILVESTRE H. BELLO III
Chairperson
Department of Labor and Employment
(SGD) AURORA CRUZ IGNACIO
Member
Social Security System
(SGD) NORA M. MALUBAY
Member-Designate
Government Service Insurance System
(SGD) CARLITO P. ROBLE
Member
Employees’ Sector
(SGD) DENNIS S. MAS
Member-Designate
Philippine Health Insurance Corporation
(SGD) STELLA ZIPAGAN-BANAWIS
Member
Employees’ Compensation Commission – Secretariat
Date Published: August 13, 2020, Philippine Daily Inquirer (B3)