Iloilo City – Rolly Condino was an oiler of an international ship when he sustained a spinal cord injury. He filed his Employees’ Compensation (EC) claim and received EC disability benefits amounting to P57,768.32. He used the monetary benefit he received to build his house.
The Employees’ Compensation Commission’s Katulong at Gabay sa mga Manggagawang may Kapansanan (ECC-KaGabay) Program provided him with free 15 sessions of physical therapy treatment at West Visayas State University Medical Center worth P3,700, transportation allowance and a wheelchair worth P4,000.
“Thank you ECC for giving me a wheelchair. I’ve been wishing to have this right from the start. You are truly a blessing. Because of this wheelchair, it would be easy for me to transfer from one place to another,” said Condino.
Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis expressed that providing compensation to persons with work-related disabilities (PWRDS) is not enough to help them recover from financial strains brought by work-related contingencies. PWRDs not only lost their jobs but they also lost their confidence because of the work-related disabilities they acquired. Hence, the ECC has initiated the KaGabay Program.
“The KaGabay Program aims to bring back PWRDs to the economic mainstream as competent members of the society. This program provides free rehabilitation services and appliance to PWRDs. It also gives free re-skilling training or entrepreneurship seminars to PWRDs to help them start anew,” Banawis explained.
Banawis, however, encourages employers and employees to practice good occupational safety and health by complying with Occupational Safety Health standards to ensure a healthy and safe work environment for employees. On the other hand, employees should also take reasonable care of their own health and safety.
“I would like to emphasize that prevention is better than compensation and rehabilitation. The ECC provides benefits for work-related incidents but good practices in OSH provide a better and healthier community,” explained Banawis.
11 November 2015