Four representatives from the Philippines, including a medical doctor from the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC), participated in the 5th Asian Asbestos Initiative (AAI) Conference in Busan, South Korea on November 6-8, 2012 to develop academic platform on which researchers and administrators from different countries can share relevant core technologies relative to Asbestosis.

The conference theme was Applying Science to Practice. It was Chosen to enhance mutual understanding and technical support for preventing asbestos problems among Asian countries and government sectors and mode of actions for prevention, treatment and compensation of Asbestos-related Diseases (ARDs). It was hosted and organized by the Ministry of Environment, Republic of Korea and supported by the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan. There were 112 participants from 16 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Palau, Philippines, Thailand, UK and Vietnam.

The four members of the Philippine delegation were from the University of the Philippines, the Lung Center of the Philippines, the Occupational Safety and Health Center, and Dr. Sarah Antonia I. Concepcion of the Employees’ Compensation Commission.

Dr. Concepcion presented the development of Asbestos-related Disease as a compensable disease under the Employees’ Compensation Program, otherwise known as Presidential Decree No. 626, as amended.