The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) brings the EC Program closer to Matthew Valdevieso, a person with work-related disability (PWRD), by conducting a personalized livelihood coaching session at Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat on September 10, 2024.

Aimed at enhancing support for PWRDs and focusing on business startup strategies and basic bookkeeping, the one-on-one coaching initiative makes ECC assistance and support more accessible for PWRDs in remote areas.

Valdevieso worked as a hauling truck helper. Sometime in April 2023, he sustained a cerebral concussion and spinal cord injury due to a work-related accident while traveling in North Cotabato.

His EC sickness claim was approved by the Social Security System (SSS). In April 2024, Valdevieso started his free physical therapy sessions at Dr. Arturo P. Pingoy Medical Center, ECC’s partner hospital in South Cotabato. Currently, ECC was able to grant him with eight (8) physical therapy sessions with succeeding schedule in the months to come.

As part of the livelihood training, Valdevieso is set to receive a starter kit valued at Php 20,000 to help establish his sari-sari store. Along with the coaching, ECC-REU 12 administrative officer II Exequiel K. Salcedo III assessed the business location to ensure its viability.

The ECC livelihood program was especially designed for workers who became disabled due to work-related accidents or illnesses, and whose EC partial or total disability claim was approved by the SSS or GSIS.

The KaGabay Program stands for “Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan.” It is a special economic assistance program for Persons with Work-Related Disabilities (PWRD), who lost employment due to work-related sickness or injury, in order to facilitate their re-integration into the economic mainstream and to provide them with equal access to livelihood opportunities.

The ECC is a government corporation attached to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for policy coordination and guidance. It 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 – REU 12