Labor and Employment Secretary and Chairperson of the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz recently said that the ECC under the Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan (ECC-KaGabay) Program granted thirty-one workers with work-connected disabilities with P1,927,500.00 worth of rehabilitation appliances and artificial prosthesis to facilitate their integration into the economic mainstream.

Citing the report of Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis, the labor and employment chief said that one of the KaGabay grantees is Reuben Gutierrez, a former security guard, the ECC granted him prosthesis worth P40,000.

A seaman, Jackson Nermal, lost his job when his leg was amputated due to work accident. ECC gave him free leg prosthesis worth P35,000.

Jennifer Santos, a former machine operator in a candy factory, regained employment after receiving a cosmetic finger worth P30,000 from the ECC.

She lost her job after sustaining amputation of her index finger while working in the factory.

With the provision of the artificial index finger prosthesis, she does not feel incomplete anymore, gained back her self-confidence and now works as a saleslady in a big mall in Manila.

Baldoz added that the ECC-KaGabay Program is a special economic assistance for persons who are victims of work-related injury or occupational diseases.

Its objectives are to facilitate integration of persons with work-related disabilities into the economic mainstream through physical restoration, training for re-employment or entrepreneurship to provide them with equal access to livelihood opportunities,” Baldoz finally said.