ECP grants almost P1 billion worth of EC benefits for the first three quarters of 2015
The Employees’ Compensation Program State Insurance Fund paid P944 million worth of benefits to employees of the private sector and government who met work-related sickness, injury and death, as of September 2015, through its administering agencies, the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Employees’ Compensation Commission Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said.
The EC benefits granted for the first three quarters of 2015 by the SSS amounted to P817.97 million for the payment of 186,822 claims.The bulk of payments is for death pension benefit claims which totalled to P638.31 million. Other benefit payments included sickness benefits which reached P77.68 million, P83.067 million for disability benefits, P11.90 million for medical services, P6.17 million for funeral benefits and P851,865 for rehabilitation services.
Overall, the benefits released to the private sector employees were up by 7% from P763.823 million in the same period in 2014.
On the other hand, GSIS granted a total of P126.17 million EC benefits for 21,988 claims from public sector employees,an increase by 24%compared to the first 3 quarters of 2014.
Sickness benefits granted amounted to P1.214 million; disability benefits, P8.308 million; medical services, P9.183 million; funeral benefit claims were worth P1.511 million; and rehabilitation services worth P52,954. Claims for survivorship benefits comprised the biggest amount at P105.902 million.
“The increase in the amount of EC benefits to public and private sector workers was expected because of the series of increase of EC benefits from 2012 until 2015 and incessant information dissemination of the ECP among government employees, including the uniformed personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP),” said Banawis.
Furthermore, Banawis noted that survivorship benefits comprised the highest share or 79% of the total benefits disbursement in the EC benefit payments made both by the SSS and by the GSIS.
The EC-SIF available for payment of future EC claims in both private and public sector amounts to P49.69 billion as of September 30, 2015.
P959K worth of EC benefits released to beneficiaries of SAF 44
Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis yesterday reported that the beneficiaries of the fallen SAF 44 already received funeral and survivorship benefits under the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP).
“We were able to reach out to the families of the 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) who died during the Mamasapano incident through the efforts of the ECC’s Regional Extension Units and were able to expeditiously process and release their benefits with the help of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS),” Banawis said.
She further said that the GSIS, the administering agency of the ECP for the public sector, paid a total amount of P880,000 for the EC funeral benefits of the fallen 44 while an estimated amount worth P99,755.49 was paid for the initial survivorship benefits.
The EC funeral benefits were released to the families of the SAF 44 after the ECC issued Board Resolution No. 15-02-05 dated 9 February 2015 directing the GSIS to immediately process and release the corresponding EC disability benefits to the wounded SAF 44 troopers and initial EC death benefits to the qualified beneficiaries of the fallen 44 troopers upon receipt of the names of the wounded and the names of the beneficiaries of the casualties from the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“Thirty-five families have been receiving EC survivorship benefits while the pension for the remaining nine families are being processed awaiting submission of the required documents,” the ECC Director said.
She further explained that the amount of EC pension ranges from P706.50 to P3,774.08 depending on the salary of the individual SAF member, length of their service, and number of minor dependents.
“Considering the young age of some members of the SAF 44, the minimum amount of EC pension may not be applicable especially if the period of service is less than three years,” she added.
Meanwhile, the ECC Quick Response Team visited the 15 wounded members of the said SAF troop who were recuperating at PNP General Hospital last January 2015. They were provided with a bag of groceries and information about their benefits under the ECP.
The Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) is a social insurance program of the government designed to provide private and public sector workers and/or their beneficiaries with income benefits in the event of work-related sickness, injury, or death.
ECP also covers uniformed personnel such as members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) although they are not covered members of the GSIS.
ECC grants catfish pangkabuhayan package to disabled seafarers
ILOILO CITY – Seafarer Ernie Alfeche recently received a startup capital consisting of catfish fingerlings and fry boosters amounting to P8,185 under the Employees’ Compensation Commission’s Katulong at GabaysaManggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program. The said pangkabuhayan package is over and above his income benefits provided under the Employees’ Compensation Program.
While onboard the vessel in 2010, Alfeche experienced extreme pain on the spine due to degeneration. While under medication, he had to go back to the Philippines to rest from work.
Alfeche received P24,000 as Employees’ Compensation (EC) Temporary Total Disability benefit for 120 days; P2,300 EC Permanent Partial Disability benefit for 8 months equivalent to P18,400 and P575 Carer’s Allowance for 8 months equivalent to P4,600 in 2010.
In 2014, Alfeche received additional P2,000 EC Permanent Partial Disability benefit for 7 months equivalent to P14,000 and P575 Carer’s allowance for 7 months amounting to P4,025.
The ECC-KaGabay Program also provided Alfeche with 14 sessions of physical therapy in West Visayas State University Medical Center worth P4,080 and transportation allowance worth P1,875 during his therapy sessions.
“ECC is a big help to me and my family. ECC helped me provide a decent life for my family. The assistance provided by ECC does not stop with compensation. It helps persons with work-related disabilities (PWRDs) recover from illness or injury and empowers them to give their family a better life,” Alfeche said.
ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis stated that ECC continues to give hope to PWRDs and their families.
“Our duty is to provide accessible and viable services to workers with work-related contingencies. With our Regional Extension Units all over the country, we can address even the simplest assistance our clients need,” Banawis said.
Though the ECC provide compensation benefits and pangkabuhayan packages to persons with work-related disabilities (PWRDs), Banawis encourages employers and employees to practice good occupational safety and health by complying with Occupational Safety and Health standards to ensure a healthy and safe work environment for employees. She also reminded employees to take reasonable care of their own health and safety.
“I would like to emphasize that prevention is better than compensation and rehabilitation. The ECC provides benefits for work-related incidents but good practices in OSH provide a better and healthier community,” explained Banawis.