ECC at 50: A Legacy of Milestones and Achievements
1975 – 1980
The Employees’ Compensation Program
On March 17, 1975, then President Ferdinand Marcos signed into law the Presidential Decree No. 626, or the Employees’ Compensation (EC) and State Insurance Fund (SIF), providing for the promotion and development of a tax-exempt Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) which will promptly secure adequate income benefit, medical, and other related benefits to employees and their dependents in the event of work-connected disability or death.
On the said date too, the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) came into being as the lead agency for the implementation of the ECP.
May 1, 1979, Former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. issued Letter of Instruction (LOI) No. 856, for the establishment of the ECC rehabilitation center. An amount of 50 million pesos was allocated for the said rehabilitation center.
ECC Workers’ Rehabilitation Center Complex
Following LOI No. 856, ECC purchased a 50-hectare lot in Tanay, Rizal in April 1981, via deed of absolute sale between then Secretary Blas F. Ople, as the chairperson of ECC and Florencia G. Guitarte.
The State Insurance Fund (SIF)
A special fund sourced from the contributions of the employers, the SIF is administered by the Social Security System (SSS) for the employees in the private sector while the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) administers for the public sector employees. Sec. Blas F. Ople was the brain behind the ECP and SIF and he ensured that these new concepts were included in the Labor Code of the Philippines which came into force in 1974.
1980 – 1990
The ECP helped improve the rehabilitation facilities of hospitals located in areas where the occurrence of work-related contingencies was significantly higher in frequency. These hospitals were provided with rehabilitation equipment and materials. The rehabilitation staff of the recipient hospitals were also provided with training to ensure the appropriate operation and maintenance of the rehabilitation equipment.
The pressing need for a dedicated body focused on workers’ safety paved the way for the creation of the Occupational Safety and Health Center through Executive Order No. 307. As a special department, it works in close collaboration and engages in complementary efforts to develop health and safety programs and initiatives that promote overall worker well-being and healthy working conditions for all.
1990 – 2000
The Birth of ECC Industrial Clinics
In 1993, then President Fidel V. Ramos instructed the ECC to set up industrial clinics all over the country to provide victims of work-contingencies, particularly the workers in the Small and Medium Enterprises or SMEs, with psycho-social and rehabilitation treatments. In the process, the ECC accredited hospital-based Industrial Clinics. By the end of 2000, there were 33 industrial clinics operating in all regions providing free medical examinations to workers.
2000 – 2010
The ECP Thrust: Work Contingency Prevention
On this decade, the ECP has shifted its focus on the prevention of work-related sickness and injuries. The following undertakings were made for the said purpose:
- A refocused ECP information awareness drive that would emphasize the importance of work contingency prevention more than the benefits for work-connected diseases or injuries.
- A redirected Industrial Clinic Project which should focus on hazard-based medical examinations of workers rather than on the usual standard physical and medical examination.
- The Work Contingency Prevention Advocacy Program designed to support and/or assist any and all initiatives by the DOLE Regional Offices and attached agencies towards work contingency prevention.
2010 – 2020
The Three E’s of ECC Reform
To meet the challenge of providing adequate and fair EC benefits, the ECP’s platform for reform and development for EC benefits was summarized in to three key areas – Equalization, Enhancement, and Expansion of EC benefits.
ECC’s reach expanded further with the establishment of Regional Extension Units (REUs) in 2011 – ensuring that all workers, most significantly those Persons with Work-Related Disabilities (PWRDs), even in the most remote areas of the country, receive vital assistance. These units also play a key role in informing workers of their rights and benefits under the EC Program.
2020 – 2025
Now, as the ECC marks its 50th year of dedicated public service, it reaffirms its unwavering commitment to its mission: To develop and implement effective, dynamic, and innovative OSH Policies and Programs for a healthy and safe work environment for all workers; Promptly provide compensation benefits and services to PWRDs and/or their dependents; Ensure a well-managed, stable, and resilient SIF; Strengthen and uphold good governance compliance. As a reliable and steadfast safety net, the ECC continues to empower the nation’s workforce, ensuring they are protected, supported, and valued at every stage of their journey.
The Way Forward
On May 1, 2024, ECC unveiled the conceptual master plan for the ECC’s Workers Rehabilitation Center Complex (WRCC)—the first of its kind in the country, a new era begins for workers who sustain work-related disabilities. The WRCC marks a significant leap forward in the ECC’s mission, enabling the agency to directly manage rehabilitation services through its comprehensive and holistic Disability Management-Return-to-Work Assistance Program (DM-RTWAP).
The WRCC is set to be built on ECC’s property in Tanay, Rizal, which was acquired in the 1980s. Through this, the ECC envisions offering world-class rehabilitation services, empowering workers to regain their health, enhance their skills, and successfully return to work, marking a transformative step in the support and care for workers nationwide.