THE Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) recently recognized the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) as one of the recipients of the 2021 Freedom of Information (FOI) Awards.
ECC was cited for its efforts in providing Filipinos information on matters of public concern and its contribution in the development and progress of the FOI program, according to the PCOO.
Started in 2017, the FOI Awards is an annual ceremony that recognizes the exceptional contributions of government agencies, individuals, and organizations in championing transparency and accountability, promoting good governance and freedom of information, and empowering Filipino citizens by providing them their right to access information on matters of public concern.
Amid the limitations and challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandemic, the ECC remains relentless in its pursuit to inform and educate the Filipino people, especially workers, on their benefits under the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP).
Aside from the regular conduct of webinars and lectures on the ECP and the strengthening of its online presence, the Commission is also committed in guaranteeing that FOI requests are swiftly facilitated and processed and that information channels are open and active to the public.
In accepting the award, ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said: “We are honored to be one of the FOI Awards awardees this year and grateful to the PCOO for recognizing the ECC’s determination in making government information more accessible and empowering the public through access to information. We also acknowledge the unwavering dedication and hard work of our FOI team in delivering timely and relevant services to the Filipino people by their swift responses to FOI requests.”
The ECC is a government corporation attached to the Department of Labor and Employment for policy formulation and program coordination. It is mandated to provide meaningful and appropriate compensation benefits to workers and their dependents in the event of work-related sickness, injury, disability, or death.