COVID-afflicted workers to get cash aid from ECC

CEBU, Philippines — Workers in the private and public sectors infected with COVID-19 while in the performance of their work will receive assistance from the government under the employees’ compensation program of the Employees Compensation Commission (ECC).

The ECC, an attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), ensures assistance for all the frontline workers who suffered from COVID-19 by reason of their employment.

Frontline workers would include the healthcare workers; workers in government; protective service workers like the uniformed personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police; cashiers and crew in groceries or stores providing essential goods and products; production and food processing workers; janitors and maintenance workers; and truck drivers involved in the transport of essential goods; among others.

ECC-Regional Extension Unit-7 chief, Ingrid Yumang, said that ECP provides for a package of benefits for public and private sector employees and their families in the event of work-connected sickness or injury which has resulted to disability or death. The benefits include loss of income benefits; medical benefits; and cash assistance.

In case of death due to the virus, the funeral benefit would amount to P30,000 plus death benefits, which will be given to the family of the affected employee. For medical reimbursement, Yumang said they cannot estimate how much it will be since it is the Social Security System for the private sector and the Government Service Insurance System for the government sector that will be doing or processing that being the ECC’s administering agencies.

For approved sickness or injuries, affected workers will receive P10,000 cash assistance and P15,000 for those who died. The application for EC benefits will be done at the SSS for private sector employees and at the GSIS for those working in government including uniformed personnel.

DOLE-7 Regional Director Salome Siaton has lauded the ECC REU-7 for its continuous advocacy of its programs especially on the assistance that could be extended to workers infected with the virus.

“This is proof that government is doing everything it can in order to help address the needs of the people particularly that of the workers. We encourage everyone to be familiar with the ECC and all its programs. What is important especially for the private sector workers is for one to be able to avail of the EC Benefits, he or she must have been enrolled at the SSS and their remittances or contributions are in place,” said Siaton in a statement.

Queries on the EC benefits could be sent through private message at the ECC Cebu Facebook account. The ECC REU-7 could be reached also at (032)266-7230 or at its website at ecc.gov.ph.  FPL (FREEMAN)