ECC helps PWRD in Tarlac start her own business
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO---The Employees’Compensation Commission (ECC), through its Regional Extension Unit in Central Luzon, awarded a livelihood starter kit in June 2020 to a former area shop manager who suffered from a work-related accident that resulted to the loss of her right leg.
Lourdes Martin received a livelihood assistance worth P20,000 from ECC to help her set up her chosen business, a sari-sari store, in addition to other benefits granted to her by the Commission following a work-related accident in 2019. The 26year-old Tarlac native was one of the employees who were trapped and injured after the four-storey building of the Chuzon Supermarket in Porac, Pampanga collapsed when a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit Luzon.
According to Martin, she was on the first floor of the building when the earthquake happened. A steel beam fell on her right leg and trapped her. Rescuers were then forced to use a construction saw to amputate her leg in order to get her out of the shambles and save her.
“Sa isip ko noong mga oras na iyon, katapusan ko na. Grabe po ang paghihirap na dinanas ko dahil nag-50-50 po ako noong nilabas po ako. Pero mabuti ang Diyos at binigyan niya ako ng second life,” she said.
Martin underwent five operations and stayed in the hospital for two weeks. The accident greatly affected her and her family, she said, as there are certain tasks and activities she can no longer do. “Napakalaking epekto noon sa pamilya ko. Dati, nakakapagtrabaho at nakakapagbigay ako lahat sa family pero ngayon hindi na kasi ang dami nang nagbago,” she added.
Still, despite the tragedy, the former area shop manager continues to persevere as she starts over and moves forward, using the livelihood starter kit awarded to her through ECC’s Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang May Kapansanan (KaGabay) Program to set up a sari-sari store business to help her family. Through the KaGabay Program, the Commission seeks to help persons with work-related disabilities acquire new skills, set up businesses, and restore their dignity and self-esteem.
“Malaki po ang tulong ng ECC. Eto pong livelihood ay kasalukuyan ko pong pinapalago para makatulong pa rin po sa family ko,” Martin said.
Aside from the livelihood starter kit, she also received EC disability benefits under the Employees’Compensation Program (ECP) and a free livelihood training under the KaGabay Program. ECC also provided immediate assistance to Martin and her family following the incident by giving them a grocery package and assisting them in the EC benefits claim application under ECC’s Quick Response Program (QRP). Also a part of ECC-QRP, Martin, together with other injured workers of Chuzon Supermarket, were granted cash assistance worth Php 10,000.
ECC continues to monitor the PWRD’s condition and provide her with the necessary rehabilitation services such as physical therapy and prosthesis.
“Aside from the monetary benefits, we want to restore their self-esteem by giving them opportunities to return to the economic mainstream and helping them with their rehabilitation needs. We want to give them renewed hope that they can continue being economically-productive and be productive members of the society,” said ECC’s Executive Director Stella Zi pagan-Banaw i s.
Martin relayed her gratitude to the Commission and her hope that it carries on to help persons with work-related disabilities. “Sana mar ami pa pong matulungan ang ECC na katulad kong may disability. Maraming salamat po,” she said.
She also encouraged PWRDs to never lose hope. “Huwag panghinaan ng loob, bagkus, magpatuloy sa buhay dahil maraming ginawang instrument ang Panginoon para tayo’y tulungan. Isa na rito ang ECC na tumtulong at nagbibigay bagong pag= asa sa atin. Manalig lang at magpatuloy sa buhay,” she added.
(Danica Lacson/ ECC-REU3)