The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), recently strengthened its presence in the regions by opening desks offices in Cordillera Administrative Region, Region 7, 9, and Region 12 in line with the directive of Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz to bring the ECC services closer to the regions.

The desk offices of the ECC are housed at the DOLE regional offices in Baguio City for the CAR, in Cebu City for Region 7, Zamboanga City for Region 9 and DOLE Regional Office in General Santos City for Region 12.

The ECC desk officers have been directed to conduct an awareness drive on the EC Program, assist claimants pertaining to the documents necessary in filing an EC claim at the Social Security System and the Government Service Insurance System, develop a database of occupationally-disabled workers (ODWs) and implement the ECC’s Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan or KaGabay Program. The KaGabay Program offers physical restoration, skills training for re- employment and entrepreneurship training to ODWs.

In June 2011, the ECC opened its first regional extension unit in Cagayan de Oro City.

Aside from the four regional desks offices, the ECC plans to open desks offices this year in other DOLE regional offices nationwide.