“Higit pa sa benepisyo and ibinibigay na serbisyo”
This principle serves as the framework of the Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) of the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) for person with work related disabilities (PWRDs).
“It is our duty to ensure that we are able to address the varying needs of persons who meet work-related accidents or those who contract work related diseases, especially those needing rehabilitation”, Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) Executive Stella Zipagan-Banawis said.
From January to November 2015, the ECC was able to provide various rehabilitation services to 1,023 PWRDs.
Of this number, 277 availed of free livelihood trainings such as Meat Processing, Start Your Own Business Enterprise, Swine/Hog/ Cattle/Goat Raising, Bread and Pastry Production, Soap Making, Mushroom Production and Swine Management Technology. Skills trainings availed of consisted of Autocad, Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Housekeeping, Bookkeeping, Computer Hardware Servicing NC II and Encoding NC II.
Twenty-three (23) PWRDs who finished their livelihood/skills training were also provided with transportation and meal allowance.
“After their livelihood training, we see to it that the PWRDs were also guided and assisted especially as they start their individual undertakings. So far, our Work Contingency Prevention and Rehabilitation Division (WCPRD) was able to visit and monitor the progress made by 105 PWRDs in their respective business ventures”, Banawis added.
The ECC also provided 46 children of PWRDs opportunities to earn and learn through the Special Program of Employment for Students (SPES). For 35 days, 22 males and 24 female students were deployed at the ECC Central Office in Makati, Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), several branches of Social Security System (SSS), local government units and at various offices of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). A total of Php 416,209.50 was paid to the 46 SPES participants by ECC representing 60% of salaries due them.
Through the KaGabay Program, two hundred nineteen (219) PWRDs were able to undergo free physical and occupational therapy and other related rehabilitation services. Of this number, 201 PWRDs were also provided with meal and transportation allowance. The WCPRD monitors their progress and health condition through the conduct of home visits to 150 of these PWRDs.
Thirty-one (31) PWRDS were also provided with free prosthesis or assistive devices.
Through the conduct of home visits to PWRDs, the ECC monitored 47 who are now gainfully employed, thirty-three (33) of whom were retained by their former companies while the other 14 have new employers. Seventy eight PWRDs were also found to be engaged in different businesses where twenty-three (23) PWRDs have started a business undertaking and fifty-five (55) have expanded their businesses.
Realizing the need for ECC’s presence to be felt as soon as a work-contingency occurs, the ECC’s Quick Response Team Program provides immediate help to workers or their families in the form of psychosocial counselling and assistance in the filing of EC claim with the SSS or the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
As of November 2015, the ECC-QRTP responded to 179 work-related incidences. They were also able to visit, counsel and provide information on the ECP to 496 PWRDs and facilitate the release of EC benefits to 157 victims of work related contingencies and/or their beneficiaries amounting to P2,709,123.41,” Banawis shared.
“The ECC was able to reach these accomplishments through the help of its Regional Extension Units (REUs) in different regions of the country as well as through partnering with other DOLE and government agencies, hospitals and training centers”, Banawis said.
“For the coming years, we hope to be able to help PWRDs in more ways possible” Banawis stated.
end