The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), together with the Department of Agriculture (DA), joined hands in helping an occupationally-disabled worker (ODW) start a piggery business.

Laura Medina was a sponger and glazer worker of a ceramic manufacturing company in Caloocan City for five years.  Her job exposed her to silica sand, aluminium oxide and other ceramic raw materials.  As a consequence, she was diagnosed to have pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).  Due to her illness, she was forced to resign from her work.  Medina filed an EC claim at the Social   Security System (SSS) where she was awarded an EC partial disability benefits amounting to P65, 425.00.

Aside from the disability benefits given to deserving ODWs, the Employees’ Compensation Program also includes the ECC-KaGabay Program.  This program facilitates ODWs re-integration into the economic mainstream through vocational skills training and placement assistance or through entrepreneurial training and assistance in the setting-up a micro-enterprise or home-based business.

Medina in her case, was interested in hog raising.  This prompted the ECC to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture.  A favourable response was given, when the Bureau of Animal Industry gave her free training on goat, swine, poultry training and animal product processing. She was also given two female pigs by the Bureau with the condition that she will give back four piglets when her female pigs give birth.

 

In addition to that, the ECC- KaGabay program granted Medina, meal and transportation allowance during her training and provided her livestock feeds amounting to P8, 248.50 as part of her starter kit.

On February 28, 2012, Medina informed the ECC that her sow delivered nine piglets.

 

With their piggery business, Medina and her husband envision a brighter future for their family.

 

The ECC collaborates with other government agencies to effectively promote the welfare of ODWs.  It also  provides physical and occupational  therapy to ODWs so that they can again be  productive members of our society.  For more information on the EC Program, please call 899-42-51 or 52, local 227 or 228.