Davao City – A heightened awareness on Employment Compensation Program was conducted jointly by the Employees’ Compensation Commission XI and GSIS Davao to forty-six (46) government agencies in the region on 26 July 2019 at the Activity Center, DOLE XI, Davao City.

Fifty-six (56) delegates from different national government agencies in the region attended the seminar. DOLE XI OIC-Assistant Regional Director Jason P. Balais stressed in his opening remarks that the seeming unawareness on EC Programs for workers in the government is due primarily to the non-reflection of EC contribution in the pay slip as only employers are required to pay for the monthly EC premiums.

The attendees were apprised on the Prevention, Compensation and Rehabilitation aspects of the EC Programs while Dr. Jose Ray Ramirez, Medical Officer of GSIS Davao, explained the distinctions between the programs of GSIS and ECC along with the procedures in the institution of claims under both agencies.

“This collaborative effort of ECC and GSIS seeks to intensify our quest for higher level of awareness on our respective programs in the entire region.”, Dr. Ramirez stresseed during his lecture. He also exhorted the agencies to propagate the information which they have obtained from the activity so that every government worker knows not only their entitlements under GSIS but also that of ECC.

Atty. Suseyline M. Bakino-Abtarul, OIC Public Attorney of PAO XI, expressed her appreciation of the active role of ECC in advancing the welfare of every worker in the private and public sector. She extended her interest to support ECC by inviting its focal person to the various offices of PAO and their stakeholders in the region to discuss the EC Programs.

ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis emphasized that, other than the benefits available under EC Programs, the Commission gives primordial importance in instilling a culture of safety so as to prevent any sort of contingencies that may adversely affect the life of a worker and his family.

“The employment of every worker cannot be equaled by any amount of benefits under ECC. Thus, the Commission endeavors to preserve such employment by encouraging every establishment to adopt efficient safety programs to repel work-related contingency.”, Director Banawis remarked. (ECC-REUXI)