The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) gears two persons with work-related disability (PWRDs) for a new start through the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) which seeks to provide compensation benefits to workers and/or their beneficiaries in the event of work-related sickness, injury, or death.

The beneficiaries, Allen Pabia and Jayson Bustrillos, received cash assistance and monthly income benefit for a duration of 39 months after they each lost an arm due to accidents in their respective workplaces.

In addition to the loss of income benefits, ECC awarded the two PWRDs prostheses on August 5, 2019 at the ECC Building in Makati City after they completed eight sessions of occupational therapy at the Philippine General Hospital as part of the rehabilitation services under ECC’s Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program, a special economic assistance program for PWRDs.

Pabia and Bustrillos also took part in a seminar on how to start a business and simple bookkeeping held at the ECC Multi-Purpose Hall, ECC Building on July 30 and will receive livelihood assistance under the KaGabay Program.

Pabia, a mold setter and operator at Muebles de Opisina in Bulacan, lost his right hand to a workplace accident in November 2018. According to him, he will use the assistance he received from ECC to start a hog-raising business in Sorsogon, his home province.  “Maraming salamat po sa ECC dahil ngayon hindi na gaanong pansinin na putol ang kamay ko. Malaking tulong po sa aking pamilya ang mga benepisyong ito,” said the father of two and the family’s breadwinner.

Bustrillos, on the other hand, was a former employee of Carding Metal System in Malabon. He lost his left hand after it was caught in a machine in December 2018. He will use the assistance from ECC as additional capital for his rice store and for the everyday needs of his family especially his five-month-old child. “Malaking tulong po sa amin ang mga benepisyo ng ECC dahil magkakaroon po kami ng income. Maraming salamat po,” he said.

The Employees’ Compensation Commission continues to extend assistance to PWRDs and their families to empower them and restore their economic productivity through the Employees’ Compensation Program and the KaGabay Program.