Close to 500 workers receive assistance from ECC

MANILA, Philippines — Almost 500 employees who suffered work-related diseases have received compensation from the Employees Compensation Commission.

ECC said it released almost P5 million in employees’ compensation (EC) to 492 workers in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) as well as in Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) from January to May this year.

Ninety-eight percent or 484 of the cash assistance were given to workers who contracted COVID-19.

“Each beneficiary received P10,000 in EC cash assistance aside from the EC sickness benefits,” the ECC said.

Some of the beneficiaries received EC medical benefits in the form of reimbursement for their out-of-pocket medical expenses.

The P10,000 EC cash assistance is an additional benefit being awarded to workers who suffered work-related illnesses or injuries from January 2018 onwards, and who had their EC sickness/disability benefit applications approved by the Social Security System or the Government Service Insurance System.

In case of work-related death, qualified beneficiaries of the workers will receive P15,000 in EC cash assistance on top of their EC death with funeral benefits.