THE Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) recently provided holistic assistance to Ilonggo motorman, seafarers and aircon technician who all received compensation and rehabilitation benefits and services that changes their lives after their disability.
In Roxas City, Ronald M. Inao, 40, former aircon technician who was granted a total of P107, 282 of EC benefits due to his work-connected disability when a motorcycle accidentally hit him while waiting for his co-workers after rendering an overtime work. He also availed of ECC’s Rehabilitation Services inclusive of intensive physical therapy sessions with meal and transportation allowance which amounted to P98, 170 and skills training under the ECC Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program where he acquired new skill on wiring installation at Capiz State University with additional P20, 000-worth of assorted power tools from ECC as a start-up capital for his Electro-mechanical and General Services business.
“Whenever I think about what happened, I can’t help but feel sad about life. But because of people with big hearts like ECC, I now see life in a different light. Thanks to ECC,” said Ronal Inao.
In Guimaras, Tito Z. Vigo, a 48-year-old former seafarer who worked as a motorman for a shipping company who met an accident in 2018 had received a total of P164, 373 for his Permanent Partial Disability and an additional P24, 000 for his sickness benefits. He also availed, the ECC’s KaGabay Program which offered him free consultations, physical rehabilitation services including physical therapy with transportation and meal allowance at the Western Visayas University Medical Center that cost P12, 200. He attended ECC’s free entrepreneurship seminar in partnership with Department of Trade and Industry-Iloilo City where he was given a starting capital of P20, 000 for his proposed business – a sari-sari store, he now owns and runs.
“Akala ko, hindi na ako makakabangon ulit. Salamat ECC sa lahat ng tulong at malasakit. Pipilitin kong palaguin itong munting sari-sari store na binigay sa akin,” Tito Z. Vigo said.
In Iloilo City, Joseph B. Gonzales, a 26-year-old former seafarer, who was working as a deck trainee for a maritime company for nearly two years when the incident took place in 2017. While en route to China, Gonzales was cleaning a tugboat as part of his job when he suddenly heard a knuckle in his neck followed by a tinge of pain in his back which resulted to a cervical spine injury. Shocked, he didn’t know what to do. He received EC benefits worth P113, 658 and availed the rehabilitation program of ECC, and enrolled in skills training and entrepreneurship seminars where he acquired new business skills and received P20k-worth of meat products as a starting capital for his meat shop.
“Sobra-sobra ang pasalamat ko sa ECC sa lahat ng tulong na binigay nila sa akin. Malaking tulong po ito sa aming pamilya,” he said.
Furthermore, Ruel C. Espulgar, 45-year-old from Iloilo City worked as a seafarer for 23 years for a maritime company who met an accident while he was on a ladder doing the usual check-up in their station when he slipped off the ladder. When he learned that they were nearing the dock area, he had himself checked in a hospital in Hong Kong where he was diagnosed with severe shoulder injury. But, the worse part he said was yet to come when the doctor revealed to him that he could no longer go back to work due to the damages his shoulder incurred. He received a total of P157, 000 for his loss of income and benefits under the KaGabay Program thru physical therapy sessions with transportation and meal allowance at the West Visayas State University Medical Center. He then enrolled to ECC’s Entrepreneurship Seminar in partnerhip with the local DTI Negosyo Center-Iloilo City, where he was given additional P20k-worth for his water station business.
“Sa ngayon, umaayos na ang aking kalagayan dahil sa libreng therapy sessions mula sa ECC. Naging pangkabuhayan ko rin ang aking water station. Mabuti na lang at nalaman ko ang tungkol sa ECC. Maraming salamat sa lahat ng naitulong niyo sa akin,” said Espulgar.
Albert D. Cepriano, 28, another seafarer from Iloilo City who also met an accident at work also received more than P17, 000 worth of rehabilitation services with transportation and meal allowance. He likewise, received an additional P20, 000 worth of business package for his sari-sari store. Espulgar and Cepriano have a combined benefits amounting to more than P214, 000.
ECC executive director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said, “We are happy to know that ECC brings change to the lives of persons with work-related disability like our Ilonggo clients. It is not only our mandate to help workers who meet work-related contingencies, but also our moral responsibility. More than the financial assistance that we provide to workers, we believe that reintegrating them in the economic mainstream and making them feel productive again are more important by giving hope and new perspective about life to persons with work-related disability.”
All of them were assisted by ECC staff in ECC Regional Extension Unit VI to claim ECC benefits. The ECC is a government corporation, attached to the Department of Labor and Employment, created to implement the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP). The ECP is a government program designed to provide a compensation package to workers and their dependents whenever there is work-related sickness, injury or death. Benefits can be availed of either through the Social Security System (SSS) or the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), depending on the employee’s membership. The EC contributions are already part of what the employers pay their workers in the SSS or GSIS monthly remittance.
According ECC regional officer Stephen Barredo, the ECC in Region 6 is ready to assist Ilonggo workers through claims filing and appeal assistance and free seminars for employer and employees’ information.
ECC is located in ME Building, Dungon B, Jaro, Iloilo City and can be reached through email at reu6@ecc.gov.ph and (033) 3300910./PN
