Two persons with work-related disability (PWRD) from Northern Mindanao has already received their benefits under the Employees Compensation Program (ECP) through the assistance of the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) Regional Extension Unit No. 10 (ECC-REU 10).
Redillo Barros has been working as a Grinder Operator for Mechatrends Contractors Corporation for 17 years when a fire razed his workplace resulting to burns to his arms and legs. He was not able to go back to work since his burns made it difficult for him to move properly.
A year after the incident, Barros sought the assistance of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office No. 10 on his condition. Since his injuries resulted from a work-related accident, he was advised to file EC claim at the nearest Social Security System (SSS) branch.
However, since his employer is based in Kawit, Cavite, he had a hard time requesting for documents necessary for his claims to be processed.
But through the help of ECC-REU 10 who helped him in filing of his EC claims, Barros finally received his EC temporary total disability (TTD) benefit amounting to P11,850 last April 2014.
ECC’s assistance to Barros did not stop with the approval of his TTD benefit. He also qualified to become a beneficiary of the Katulong at Gabay ng Manggagawang May Kapansanan, or the KaGabay Program. Under the said program, he was able to finish a swine raising course in Xavier University-Agriculture Department. He also received a starter kit, as a part of the program, which includes two piglets worth P3,000 each and two sacks of feeds worth P2,940 each.
Barros was grateful for the support and assistance he received from ECC.
Meanwhile, the intense information dissemination on the ECP led to the granting of EC survivorship pension to the widow of a uniformed personnel.
Justino and Irene Sobretodo are husband and wife working for the Philippine National Police in in Region 10. Justino is an Intelligence Officer while Irene is an Administrative Aide.
On October 2014, Justino succumbed to his death due to cardiac arrest.
On May 2015, ECC-REU 10 conducted an ECP lecture at the Camiguin Provincial Police Office where Irene was one of the participants. Although she learned from the lecture that uniformed personnel are covered under the ECP, she was a bit hesitant to file for EC claims since PNP members are no longer covered under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
With the help of ECC-REU 10 staff, Irene filed for EC death benefits claim at the GSIS in Cagayan de Oro. On September 2015, she received the EC funeral benefit.
Stretching the arms of social protection
Pursuant to Labor and Employment Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz’s directive to extend the reach of social protection programs to reach the far-flung areas of the country and make it available to workers in different regions, the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) has opened regional extensions units (REU) in different regions of the country.
“There are two personnel in each ECC-REUs who will work closely with the DOLE Regional Offices where they are assigned. Their main tasks are to strengthen the EC Program information dissemination through lectures and seminars, attend to EC concerns of the region, provide assistance to claimants of EC cases, introduce and facilitate the KaGabay Program, and serve as ECC Quick Response Team that will visit sites where work-related contingency occurred,” ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said.
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With reports from Stella D. Obice , Information Officer II, ECC-Regional Extension Unit 10