CALABARZON—Two beneficiaries of the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) namely Ernesto Bermundo and Gerry Catipon were both recognized as the regional winners of the Productivity Olympics under the Micro Category Industry Sector by the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) 4A on October 17, 2019 at the Alta D’ Tagaytay Hotel, Tagaytay City.

RTWPB 4A is the regional extension unit of the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) in Region 4A responsible for setting minimum wages and promoting productivity improvement programs for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs.)

Bermundo and Catipon, both persons with work-related disabilities, represented the CALABARZON region in the Productivity Olympics along with six other enterprises belonging to different categories. The said event is a biennial national competition that recognizes the best enterprises who availed the productivity toolbox training for MSMEs.

Prior to this recognition, the two attended the entrepreneurial trainings and technical services on productivity facilitated by the RTWPB 4A during the Social Preparation Seminar under the Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program of the ECC in 2016 and 2018.

ECC provided Bermundo with P20, 000 worth of business starter kit which was used to start his salted egg production in 2018 while Catipon started his enterprising business in 2016 and is now planning to create a pasalubong center in San Pablo City, Laguna.

Bermundo said, “We would like to extend our gratitude to ECC and other government agencies for without their initiative to introduce and immerse us to other life opportunities, we wouldn’t be here today. Marami pong salamat.”

For her part, ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said, “We hope that Ernesto and Gerry’s achievements will serve as inspiration and motivation to not only our beneficiaries, but also other PWRDs who at some point, lost hopes after the unfortunate incidents that happened to them.”

“We look forward to more partnerships with NWPC and other government agencies as we work hand in hand in helping our PWRDs by providing them the necessary entrepreneurial skills and trainings towards feasible business opportunities,” Banawis ended.

Reporting by Ruby Ann Fajardo, Information Officer II, REU4A; Editing by Carlo Katigbak