The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) stepped up its efforts to put workers’ rights and interests at the center of its advocacy, programs and services.

The ECC was steadfast in its dedication to working with partners to discover workable solutions that would propel the EC Program onto a stable upward trajectory, mitigating vulnerabilities and bolstering beneficiaries’ resilience.

The Commission immediately came out with several policies tailored to the present and evolving needs of the workers. When it comes to EC benefit claims and payments, a total of 182, 555 EC benefit claims were approved and released to claimants in the amount of 1.48 billion pesos.

Of the said claims granted to workers, 29,285 were due to sickness; 15,854 due to disability; 130,521 under death and pension claims; 542 for funeral benefits; 6,102 for medical services including medical reimbursements; and 153 for rehabilitation services.

In addition, ECC launched the Return-to-Work Assistance Program (RTWAP) on February 28, 2023. This program is a more comprehensive KaGabay Program that lessen the negative effects of injuries or impairments on workers by providing them chances to return to safe and productive work activities as soon as medically practicable or when maximal medical recovery is achieved. Since this program was started, 74 PWRDs were continued/ returned to the economic mainstream to be productive and active citizens.

Also noteworthy, ECC re-ignited the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) advocacy seminars, which were organized in different regions in order to launch a stronger and more vigorous information dissemination campaign.

ECC continues to boost its online presence by creating and uploading timely and informative contents and materials on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Implementation of traditional and blended marketing campaigns and explored different platforms to amplify the public’s awareness on the ECP.

ECC embarked on two marketing campaigns. One is the traditional, or “classic” out-of-home advertisement through our store dress-up, where businesses of PWRDs were amply provided with signages by the ECC. Second is through podcast. The ECC Podcast were able to expound on topics like the EC Program, compensable diseases, and injuries, ECP benefits and services, how to file an EC claim and EC claims processing and requirements.

Looking forward, the ECC will continue to provide utmost service to Filipino workers. The Commission will persistently be enhancing its existing programs and developing new ones that will bring an immediate, direct, and significant impact on the lives of PWRDs.

Moreover, ECC is delving deeply into identifying new strategies for making the most of its resources and developing fresh initiatives that may open up many opportunities for delivering results. With the support of its committed employees, it boosted its aspirations to meet the present and prepare for the future. It will keep bolstering accountability and coordination in these challenging times because the ECC’s work is more important than ever.

 

J. Cañedo – CO