The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), thru its Regional Extension Unit (REU) 1, recently conducted an orientation on the EC Program during the Department of Health (DOH) Regional Health Cluster Meeting on February 22, 2022.

At least 100 participants attended the orientation composed mostly of provincial and municipal health officers from different Local Government Units (LGU) and government agencies in the region.

ECC Regional Information Officer Dexter Dupagan served as one of the resource persons during the said virtual meeting.

Dupagan discussed the EC benefits if workers contracted Covid19 while performing their duties and responsibilities.

He also emphasized that the ECC grants compensation to all covered members in case of injury or hospital confinement due to any serious adverse effects that resulted to disability or death caused by the Covid19 vaccination.

“Although the vaccination is outside the regular duties of the employees, ECC recognizes that it is within the course of employment as it will bring mutual benefits for employers and employees through the prevention of infection among workers.  It will also protect employers against consequences due to down time loss because of absences of infected employees,” Dupagan said.

ECC regional officers continue to conduct advocacy seminars either onsite or through webinars to boost EC Program awareness and to update workers of the recent policies issued by the Commission.

Under the EC Program, workers who acquired Covid19 due to work could claim EC benefits such as EC sickness and medical benefits. Qualified dependents of workers who died due to work-related Covid19, on the other hand, could claim EC death with funeral benefits.

Applications for EC claims are filed at the Social Security System (SSS) for private sector employees and at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for government sector employees.

 

D. Dupagan – REU1