LIVELIHOOD STARTER KIT FOR PWRD. Ibrahim Dilangalen, a person with a work-related disability (PWRD), gives his thumbs up after receiving an ECC livelihood starter kit worth ₱20,000.00 for his sari-sari store business on August 31, 2022 in Kidapawan, North Cotabato.
The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), through its Regional Extension Unit in Region (REU) 12, awarded a livelihood starter kit to Ibrahim Dilangalen, a Dole Stanfilco employee in Kidapawan, North Cotabato.
In April 2007, while Dilangalen was performing his job as banana gardener, a banana leaf accidentally came in contact with his left eye causing him to sustain corneal ulceration.
For his work-related eye injury, the Social Security System (SSS) granted Dilangalen 25 months of EC Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) benefits or ₱158,325.00 compensation benefits in accordance with the EC Schedule of Compensation.
On August 31, 2022, he received a livelihood starter kit worth ₱20,000.00 from the ECC. He decided to use this to fund his existing sari-sari store business to augment his income. At present, he is working as a warehouseman in the same company.
Prior to the granting of ECC livelihood starter kit, Dilangalen underwent an EC livelihood training. It is a component of the Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program which helps persons with work-related disability (PWRDs) to set up their own self-managed microenterprises or home-based business.
“Hindi ko inaasahan na may benepisyo pa akong matatanggap dahil matagal na akong naaksidente. Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa tulong at biyayang ipinaabot ng ECC lalo na at may tatlo pa akong anak na pinag-aaral sa kolehiyo. Hinding hindi ko ito makakalimutan hangga’t nabubuhay ako. Maraming salamat, ECC,” Dilangalen said.
The KaGabay Program of ECC helps facilitate the reintegration of PWRDs into the economic mainstream through physical restoration, training for re-employment, or self-entrepreneurship.
The Employees’ Compensation Commission is a government corporation attached to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for policy formulation and program coordination. ECC is mandated to provide meaningful and appropriate compensation benefits to workers and their dependents in the event of work-related sickness, injury, disability, or death.
K. Daga – REU12