Housing czar, Labor chief revive PBBM dad's order to build rehab center for injured Pinoy workers

It was first conceptualized in the late 1970s and more than 40 years later, President Marcos will now oversee the construction of a facility that was intended for the medical rehabilitation of Filipino workers who suffered work-related injuries and disabilities.
Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Jose Rizalino Acuzar said the rehabilitation center was based on the Letter of Instruction No. 856, issued in 1979 by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., which called for creating specialized centers for industrially disabled workers.
Dubbed as Workers Rehabilitation Center Complex (WRCC), Acuzar said that it will be built inside the 500,000-square-meter parcel of land in Barangay Cuyambay in Tanay, Rizal.
He said the project was an offshoot of the agreement with the Department of Labor and Employment–Employees' Compensation Commission (DOLE-ECC).
“This facility is envisioned as a hub for medical rehabilitation and livelihood support while offering worker-friendly housing opportunities to Filipino workers,” said Acuzar, adding that the revival of the directive is in line with the goals of inclusive governance.
Under the agreement, DOLE-ECC will fund the project through the State Insurance Fund while the DHSUD, leveraging its technical expertise, will assist in drafting project specifications, bidding documents, and procurement requirements.
The WRCC will be developed using the Design and Build Scheme under national procurement laws, with the construction phase to be subjected to a future agreement.
In his message, Acuzar emphasized the deeper value of the agreement, “More than a formal partnership, this agreement is a tangible move toward a society that upholds compassion and inclusion, especially for workers injured in the line of duty. It’s a message that they are not forgotten and never will be.”
For his part, DOLE Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said that the WRCC will provide dignity to Filipino workers.
“The WRCC is a living embodiment of our shared vision which is the creation of a society that values human dignity, prioritizes healing and the integration and builds systems that give those workers who suffered work-related injuries and disabilities the second chance they rightfully deserve,” said Laguesma.