GSIS, SSS claims denied? Try ECC

Employees, who have denied Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) claims for their work-related injuries or illnesses, may still receive benefits by filing an appeal before the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC).

Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III explained that ECC has the authority to overturn the ruling of SSS and GSIS in denying the claims filed by their members.

ECC is an attached agency of DOLE which provides compensation for workers affected by work-related illness, injury, disability or death.

Bello cited the cases of Susana Bonode and Erlinda Isican, who recently got compensation from GSIS and SSS, respectively, after filing an appeal at ECC.

GSIS denied the claims of Bonode, an agriculturist at the Marinduque Provincial Agriculture Office, when it decided that her heart ailment, which she was diagnosed with after a three-month official travel, is not work-related.

In Isican's case, SSS said the claims by filed by the production specialist in a semiconductor company in Baguio City for her spinal arthritis is not linked to her work.

ECC has later ruled out the claims of the two workers were valid and should be honored by SSS and GSIS.

"Workers with the same cases or have been denied in claiming compensation benefits are advised to go to the nearest ECC offices in their area or call the ECC Public Assistance Center at telephone number: (02) 8967837 or email at pac@ecc. gov.ph," Bello said.