Miner with work-related disease gets additional benefits

MANILA, Philippines - The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) has granted additional benefits to a retired miner who acquired a disease due to his work. 

Henario Guiniawan will be granted additional 22 months of permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits, the ECC announced.

However, the ECC denied Guiniawan’s claim for additional benefits for suffering hypertension, cervical disc disorder and hearing loss on the grounds of ”no causal relationship and no employer-employee relationship.”

Guiniawan worked for a company in Itogon, Benguet as a miner and underground  electrician for almost 28 years. He retired in December 2012.

Sometime in April 1996, Guiniawan experienced severe back pain after lifting an iron beam. In February 1997, he was diagnosed with lumbar spine disease. 

The Social Security System (SSS) earlier gave Guiniawan PPD benefits for 16 months that started in July 1997 after the illness was found to be work-related.

The SSS denied Guiniawan’s request for additional disability benefits, saying  there was no noted permanent impairment of body functions or progression of his illness.