Senators welcome inclusion of COVID-19 as work-related illness

Two senators welcomed on Friday the Employees’ Compensation Commission’s inclusion of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the list of occupational and work-related diseases.

Senators Francis Pangilinan and Risa Hontiveros lauded the decision, noting that it will grant employees, afflicted by the respiratory disease, benefits provided under the Employees Compensation Act and Employees Compensation Program.

“We laud the recent decision of the [ECC] to add COVID-19 in its list of occupational and work-related diseases,” Pangilinan said in a statement.

“We hope this will be soon institutionalized in the employees’ compensation system, with streamlined processes, so that our workers who will fall ill in the line of duty will not have a hard time claiming their benefits,” he added.

In observance of the International Workers' Day, Pangilinan said treating workers with dignity, giving them decent wage, ensuring their protection in the workplace and alleviating the impacts of unemployment are the ways to give back to workers.

“Our workers show up every day and put their lives at risk so that everyone else could stay home and be safe. They deserve the protection they need,” he said.

“We should honor the dignity of labor of our Filipino workers not only in words but in deeds, not only once a year, but every day, pandemic or not,” he added.

Meanwhile, Hontiveros said in a Facebook post that the voices of the workers along with the NAGKAISA Labor Coalition have been heard by the ECC.

She said the ECC decision will give workers paid sick leave benefits, health insurance, cash compensation, among others.

In March, Hontiveros called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the ECC to include COVID-19 in the list of occupational diseases.

The Philippines on Thursday recorded 8,276 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total tally to 1,028,738.

On the other hand, the total number of recoveries climbed to 942,239 with 6,636 newly recovered patients. But 114 new fatalities brought the death toll to 17,145. —LBG, GMA News