MANILA – The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) on Friday said it is now ready to accept applications for cash assistance from workers including those affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), for this year.
“We suspended in September but for 2021 since we have a new budget, we are ready to open again for cash assistance applications,” ECC executive director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said in a virtual press conference.
The ECC suspended the cash assistance application process for workers submission last year due to lack of funds.
Zipagan-Banawis added that they ran out of funds as the number of applications they received reached over 8,000.
“The cash assistance which we have been doing for the past years and we expanded it when the pandemic happened and included those inflicted with the virus because of work,” she said. “Our budget for 2020 is not sufficient enough to cover all the applicants which has reached over 8,000. We tried to accommodate them using the budget we have. Last September, we had to suspend the giving out of cash assistance.”
Of the number, she said they were able to process 4,000, since many of the applicants were not able to comply with the documentary requirements.
“We are communicating with them to complete the requirements since they can apply for 2021,” she added.
ECC is a government corporation attached to the Department of Labor and Employment for policy coordination and guidance. It was created by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 626, as amended and as embodied in Title II of Book IV of the Labor Code of the Philippines.
It is mandated to provide meaningful and appropriate compensation to workers and their dependents in the event of work-related contingencies such as sickness, injury, disability, or death. (PNA)
