The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) thru its Regional Extension Unit 13 has recently renewed its partnership with M.J. Santos Hospital in Butuan City in a bid to strengthen the grant of services for persons with work-related disability (PWRDs).

The renewal of partnership is contained in a memorandum of understanding signed in February 2018.

A compensation package for both public and private sector employees or their dependents is provided by the ECC in the event of work-related sickness, injury, or death of an employee. Under the ECC’s Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang May Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program, PWRDs with approved benefit claims (Temporary Total Disability, Permanent Partial Disability or Permanent Total Disability) can avail of succeeding benefits and services provided by the ECC like the physical restoration which includes the provision of physical or occupational therapy services and assistive devices when necessary.

Under the partnership, the ECC-REU CARAGA shall refer qualified PWRDs for rehabilitation services to M.J. Santos Hospital. The latter will then assess the referred PWRDs and attend to their rehabilitation needs. M.J. Santos Hospital has been a partner of the ECC- REU CARAGA since 2014. Since then, ECC-REU has referred a total of thirty four PWRDs to the hospital.

In 2017, qualified PWRDs availed of physical therapy and other medical services at M.J. Santos Hospital in the total amount of Php 127,186.87.

“It is ECC’s noblest intention that PWRDs would recover fast to enable them to become productive members of the society,” said ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan – Banawis upon being informed of the MOU’s renewal.