2014 Highlights!

In April of 2014, the ECC established its Regional Extension

Unit (REU) in the Ilocos Region as part of its regionalization
program to deliver its services to PWRDs in various areas in the
country. Compared to other government agencies, ECC REU1 is
relatively a new element in Region 1.
Being a member of the DOLE family, we deemed it best to
first introduce the ECC REU to the members of the Regional
Coordinating Council. This involved paying the regional heads of
the DOLE agencies a courtesy visit to personally introduce our
organization as well as our noble mandate. Doing so has enabled
us to start a network or convergence with these agencies so that
the presence of the new REU could be made known and
disseminated. The NCMB Region 1 even initiated a Memorandum
of Agreement with the ECC, committing to involve the REU1 in its
undertakings by including the EC topic during Area-Wide
seminars. Visits to the SSS and GSIS branches immediately
followed. Although a newcomer, the ECC has been greeted with a
warm welcome in Region 1.
For us to properly implement the KaGabay program, we
identified possible program partners such as hospitals equipped
with a PT facility as well as skills training schools/institutions a list
of which was provided by the TESDA Regional Office 1. Soon
enough we were able to ink a MoA with two reknowned hospitals
in La Union: Lorma Medical Center and the Ilocos Training and
Regional Medical Center. A partnership with a third hospital,
Luzon Medical Center located in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, is now
in the works.
A total of five (5) PWRDs were benefitted by the KaGabay
program among which was Francisco Munar, the 60 year-old
former seaman who suffered spinal damage while lifting heavy
hydraulic equipment on board a carrier vessel. Munar was given

free physical therapy sessions by the Lorma Medical Center and

proceeded to study Cookery at Union Christian College in San
Fernando, La Union.
We also conducted thirteen (13) Quick Response programs
with nine (9) home visits, two (2) funeral visits and two (2)
hospital visits.
For the Employees Compensation Program info drive, we
wrote letters and personally appeared before heads of
companies/establishments where we offered to discuss and
present the ECP. Every in-plant lecture delivered was deeply
appreciated by both the labor and management groups. As a
result of the convergence with other DOLE agencies such as the
RTWPB and the NCMB we were also invited as resource speakers
for their trainings and labor education seminars. By the end of the
year we have conducted 19 on-site lectures and 4 in-house
seminars attended by 954 participants from 486 different
companies. These lectures/seminars were complemented by 2
live interviews at the DZRD Radio Station in Dagupan City,
Pangasinan. With help from the partner agencies we hope to
achieve greater numbers this 2015.
Last October 29, 2014, an advocacy seminar on EC program
was hosted by the ECC at the One Vittoria Hotel in Bantay, Ilocos
Sur. It was a rather stressful moment as the said seminar was
attended by an overwhelming number of participants which was
more than what the venue could accommodate. OIC-DED Atty.
Jonathan Villasoto even had to conduct a simultaneous lecture at
the hotel lobby for participants who were not fortunate to make it
to the venue. It was stressful, yet successful.
Overall, 2014 was another good year for the ECC. And with a
new year comes a new set of challenges to experience and
overcome.
Our first year at ECC has been fun and
memorable. Service above self is indeed a sure way to happiness.

Happy New Year!

Patrick Chad R.
Guzman
Randy Angelo N. Ponciano
ECC REU 1