Duterte hikes workers’ compensation benefits
President Rodrigo Duterte has raised the compensation (EC) benefits of employees in the private sector and career’s allowance in the public sector.
Under Executive Order No. 54 signed by Duterte on May 8, the President approved 1,150 across the board increase in EC monthly disability pension of all EC permanent disability pensioners and qualified beneficiaries in the public sector.
“The amount of career’s allowance granted to EC permanent disability pensioners in the public and private sector is hereby increased from P575 to 1,000 per month,” the EO read.
The reimbursement for professional fees of physicians under the EC medical benefits for employees in the private sector was also raised by the chief executive.
The new reimbursement rate for daily ward visit is P400 per day for the general practitioner and P600 for specialist while maximum per confinement is P1,600 for the general practitioner and P2,400 for the specialist.
For intensive care unit/coronary care unit, the EO stated that the reimbursement rate is P800 per day and P3,200 maximum per confinement for the general practitioner. The specialist’s rates are P1,200 per day and P4,800 maximum per confinement at the ICU/CCU ward.
It added that the reimbursement rate for out-patient consultation is P400 for the general practitioner and P600 for the specialist.
The reimbursement amount for physical therapy sessions under the EC medical benefits for employees in the private sector was increased from P65 per session to a maximum of P500 per session.
The President has also ordered the SSS to continue to implement P2,000 minimum EC Monthly Disability and Survivorship pension in the private sector.
SSS,, Duterte said, must also continue to grant the entitlement of primary beneficiaries of deceased permanent total disability pensioners in the private sector from 80 percent to 100 percent of the pensioner’s monthly pay.
The amount of Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD) for the Private Sector was also from a minimum daily income benefit of P10 to P110 and from a maximum daily income benefit of P200 to P480.
“There is a need to continually improve benefits under the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) to make them more responsive to the welfare and development needs of occupationally disabled workers,” Duterte said.
“The results of the actuarial studies of the SSS (Social Security System) and GSIS (Government Service Insurance System) show that the SIF (State Insurance Fund) can finance the increases without affecting the stability of the SIF and without requiring additional contributions,” he added.
