MANILA — The Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) assured benefits for the victims of the bunkhouse collapse incident in Cebu City.
Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III, who is also the chairman of the ECC, said that workers who died or were injured during the accident will be properly compensated under the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP).
“It was an unfortunate accident but we want to assure the workers and their families of the assistance from the ECC,” he said in a statement Wednesday.
The affected workers will be entitled to loss of income benefits, medical benefits, carer’s allowance, death pension, and rehabilitation services under the ECP.
On the other hand, ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis noted that injuries and the resulting disabilities or death sustained by stay-in local employees within the quarters provided by the employers are compensable under the ECP.
“The so-called ‘bunkhouse rule’ is applicable to the plight of the afflicted employees who were working on the construction projects of J.E. Abraham Lee Construction and Development, Inc.,” she explained.
The affected workers are also qualified to avail of the benefits under the ECC’s Katulong at Gabay ng Manggagawang May Kapansanan (KaGabay Program), wherein Persons with Work-Related Disability (PWRD) of physical therapy, skills or entrepreneurial training, and livelihood assistance.
With this, the ECC official added that they are now just waiting for the official list of casualties from the local authorities in order for the Social Security System (SSS) to be able to process and release their corresponding benefits.
“The said list will serve as a sufficient basis for the processing and subsequent release of the EC benefits of the affected workers, thereby sparing them from the submission of several documentary requirements,” she said.
A total of five workers were killed while 57 others were injured when the four-storey bunkhouse collapsed earlier this month. (PNA)
