Few COVID-19 survivors seek compensation from ECC

MANILA, Philippines — Only a few healthcare workers (HCWs) and other workers who contracted coronavirus disease 2019 while performing their duties have sought compensation, according to the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC)

“Not even a thousand have been processed for COVID-19 compensation,” ECC executive director Stella Banawis reported in Filipino during the Laging Handa public briefing yesterday.

Banawis, however, stressed that all workers who got infected or died from COVID and other work-related illness have enough time to file for compensation.

“The prescriptive period is three years anyway so those who haven’t applied can still do. GSIS and SSS use drop box for applications so those who got sick with COVID might not have gotten around to it,” Banawis noted, referring to Social Security System and Government Service Insurance System.

Based on Department of Health (DOH) data, over 13,000 healthcare workers (HCWs) have tested positive for COVID. Of the number, 97.8 percent have recovered while 76 died from the illness.

Beneficiaries of frontline workers who may die of COVID are entitled to monthly pension aside from funeral benefit amounting to P30,000.

Among the frontline workers who can avail themselves of EC benefits are doctors, nurses, uniformed personnel, hospital support staff, pharmacists, employees of food industries, supermarket personnel and security guards who have an employee-employer relationship.

Frontline workers who tested positive for COVID may file for an Employees’ Compensation claim at any SSS or GSIS office.

Banawis said the ECC has also asked the GSIS and the SSS to look into the possibility of increasing the compensation for workers who suffered from work-related illness, injury and death.

She said the commission has already requested the SSS to do an actuarial study if cash assistance can be increased from P10,000 to P50,000, as mentioned by Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello.

Banawis noted that all benefits given by the ECC must first go through actuarial study to ensure sufficiency of funds.