After suffering from a work-related illness, an employee of the Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office No. 8 receives loss of income and medical benefits under the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP).

A Labor and Employment Officer (LEO) assigned at the DOLE Samar Field Office, contracted a work-related illness that compelled him to incur absences from his designated post. Upon receipt of the information pertaining to the said LEO, the Employees’ Compensation Regional Extension Unit No. 8 (ECC-REU No. 8) immediately coordinated with DOLE Regional Office and informed him that he may file for an ECP benefits’ claim at the GSIS branch nearest to his place of residence or place of work.

Aside from the loss of income benefits, a person with work-related disability (PWRD) may also receive livelihood assistance, amounting to twenty thousand pesos, under the Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan Program. Under the said program, a PWRD may also avail of rehabilitation services from the five ECC-partner hospitals in the Eastern Visayas region.

“The ECP does not only cover private sector employees. Government workers, who have suffered from work-related contingencies, may also avail of loss of income benefits, medical benefits, carer’s allowances, free rehabilitation services, and livelihood assistance. They may file EC benefits’ claim at the Government Service Insurance System, or the GSIS, while those workers from the private sector may file at the Social Security System, or the SSS”, ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said.

“All ECC personnel, especially the Regional Extension Unit personnel, are actively monitoring contingencies in their respective regions. This is to ensure that workers who have suffered from work-related contingencies are immediately provided with information about the ECP,” Director Banawis added.

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Michelle Basal, Information Officer II, REU8