The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC), through its regional extension unit in Central Luzon, granted benefits to a former lineman under the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP), a government program designed to provide income benefits to public and private employees in the event of work-related contingencies.
Jastine Del Mundo, a former lineman of the Pampanga Electric Cooperative, Inc., was awarded monetary benefits and a livelihood starter kit after suffering from a work-related accident in 2017. The said incident led to the amputation of his left arm and right hand, detachment of his left ear, and severe burns on his right leg. “Sa nangyaring ito sa akin, hindi ko inaasahang mabubuhay pa ako,” he said. Because of the accident, Del Mundo was put in the intensive care unit of the hospital for a month and was confined in the hospital for four months.
A father of a newly-born child at that time, Del Mundo was left helpless by his situation. “Paglabas ko ng ospital, nawawalan na ako ng pag-aasa. Naisip ko na hindi na ako makakabalik sa trabaho dahil sa nangyari sa akin. Naisip ko kung paano ko na bubuhayin ang pamilya ko,” he shared. According to him, ECC helped him overcome the trying time, move forward, and find hope through the various ECC benefits and services.
Del Mundo received loss of income benefits under the Employees’ Compensation Program. On top of the monetary compensation, ECC, through its Katulong at Gabay sa Manggawang May Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program, also granted a livelihood starter kit worth Php 20,000, following the completion of his entrepreneurial training, to aid him in starting a business and returning to the economic mainstream. Using the starter kit, Del Mundo started a sari-sari store which he had maintained and grew for the past two years. In addition, he also underwent physical therapy and was awarded prosthesis for his amputated left arm and right hand.
“Dahil sa ECC, napagtanto ko po na may pag-asa pa rin pala akong makapagsimula muli. Nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos dahil ginawa Niya po ang ECC instrumento upang matulungan ako,” Del Mundo said.
ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said that aside from the aforementioned benefits and services Del Mundo is entitled to avail of the ECC’s complementary livelihood kit amounting to ten thousand pesos since he was able to sustain his business for a period of one year.
“The ECC is happy to be of service to our PWRDs but we would like to remind all our workers that even though there is an Employees’ Compensation Program, our health and safety must still be our topmost priority,” Banawis added. / Danica Lacson