Bayan Muna Partylist condemned the Social Security System’s (SSS) implementation of higher contribution rates, calling it an additional burden to workers already struggling with multiple price increases at the start of the New Year.
In response to the implementation of the new contribution rates by the social pension fund, Bayan Muna first nominee Atty. Neri Colmenares urged a stop to the 14 to 15% increase effective last January 1.
“This SSS contribution hike is absolutely unconscionable. Workers are already dealing with increased water rates from both Maynilad and Manila Water, higher electricity rates from Meralco, and now they have to shoulder bigger SSS contributions,” Colmenares said.
Colmenares pointed out that while the SSS has yet to fully implement P1,000 pension increase in accordance with the law he authored in 2016, the automatic contribution increase was swiftly implemented.
“It is shameless of the SSS to increase contribution rates while the promised pension increase has yet to be fully implemented. It looks like the SSS board puts a premium on its fund life as well as their fat salaries and perks above the lives of the members whose money the fund comes from in the first place,” he said.
“SSS is just like Philhealth which is obsessed with its funds rather than the benefits of its members” he emphasized.
Colmenares called for the immediate suspension of the new SSS contribution rates, citing the agency’s failure to improve its collection efficiency.
“The SSS has not even explained its current collection rate. Why impose new rates when they can’t even efficiently collect the old ones? The new rates must be suspended until SSS has demonstrated improved collection efficiency,” Colmenares insisted.
The new contribution rates is seen to affect private sector employees, household workers, self-employed individuals, voluntary members, and land-based OFWs.
“This is a classic case of passing the burden to ordinary workers while failing to address fundamental issues in collection and management. The SSS should focus first on improving its collection efficiency and reducing unnecessary expenses before implementing any rate increases,” Colmenares concluded. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
