Beneficiaries of missing persons while in the performance of their duties during calamities or fatal events can file their claims for EC death with funeral benefits within three years from the time the missing person has been presumed dead after the lapse of four years from the occurrence of the incident on the basis of Board Resolution 14-07-20, ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said.

Banawis said that this pertains to all workers or employees including uniformed personnel who had been reported missing while they were on duty during calamities or devastating event.

“The ECC finds the need to adopt a policy that would simplify the grant of EC death with funeral benefits to the beneficiaries of the missing workers. Hence we came up with the said Board Resolution,” Banawis said.

The ECC also clarifies that the EC funeral benefits may also be granted notwithstanding the absence of burial ceremony to recompense the grief of the family of the missing person.

In addition, in lieu of death certificate, the administering agencies, Government Service Insurance System and Social Security System, may now require submission of certification from any concerned government institution showing that the concerned employee or uniformed personnel has been included in the list of missing persons due to a calamity or fatal event or has been missing for a period of four years.