Responding to the directive of Employees’ Compensation Commission Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis, three regional extension units (REU) of the Commission recently conducted a Quick Response Program (QRP) to the families and relatives of the members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) who died in an encounter with the Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last 25 January 2015.
“More than the monetary benefits, we know that making the families feel that the ECC truly cares for them through these personal visits is what is important. The assistance that we extend to the families in helping them file for their EC benefits claim is a small thing compared to the grief that they have right now,” Banawis said.
Quick Response Teams from ECC-REUs in Cordillera Autonomous Region, Region 9, and 11 visited the families of 21 PNP-SAF Mamasapano casualties.
During these visits, families were given psychosocial counseling, a bag of groceries and were assisted in filling out forms for the filing of their benefits claim under the Employee Compensation Program.
As early as 2:00 AM of 31 January 2015, Quick Response Team of REU-CAR immediately proceeded to Camp Bado Dangwa in La Trinidad, Benguet to join the families in paying tribute to the 7 policemen who died during the clash.
“Despite the very emotional state they are in, the families were thankful of the information that we provided them,” Wendy Salada, ECC-REU-CAR staff and QRT member described her dialogue with the families of PO2 Peterson Indongsan Carap, PO2 Noble Sungay Kiangan, PO1 Angel Chocowen Kodiamat, PO3 Noel Onangey Golocan, PO2 Jerry Dailay Kayob, PO2 Walner Faustino Danao, and PO1 Gringo Charag Cayang-o.
Immediate families of Police Senior Inspector Ryan Ballesteros Pabalinas, Police Senior Inspector John Garry Erana, Police Inspector Rennie Tayrus, PO3 Victoriano Acain, Jr., Police Inspector Joey Sacristan Gamutan, PO3 Jedz-IN Abubakar Asjali, and PO2 Amman Misuari Esmula who were residing in Zamboanga were also contacted, visited, and assisted by ECC-REU No. 9 staff.
“The families were advised that they shall be informed immediately once the checks for the funeral benefits are available at the branch of Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) nearest them,” REU No. 9 staff and QRT member Jerrick Go reported.
With apparent pain on her face, Liezel Concepcion, wife of the deceased SPO1 Lover Inocencio, welcomed the ECC-REU No. 11 Quick Response Team as they visited the family during the wake of the SAF trooper. She recounted that her husband already planned to transfer in Davao City next year because he wanted to be with his family. However, such plan would never materialize now that her husband is among the casualties of the encounter.
Franschelline Orvette Domingo, ECC-REU No, 11 staff and QRT member said that the wife appreciated the efforts of the team to reach out to her family.
The Employees’ Compensation Commission’s Quick Response Team Program is an immediate assistance extended to help workers who suffer from work-connected contingencies or their families who have to deal with work accidents or sudden onset of occupational disease or death, in the form of psycho-social counselling and assistance in the filing of EC claim with the GSIS or the SSS.