Pag-Ibig Cebu eyes market stall vendors

PAG-IBIG FUND Cebu North branch officials intensified their efforts to recruit members from the marginalized sector like market vendors and barangay officials in Danao and Lapu-Lapu cities.

The information and membership recruitment campaign called the Market Stall project, Alain Anongos, Enforcement Head of Pag-Ibig Cebu North Branch, said he and the other officials would expect more voluntary members from this market stall vendors sector.

Anongos said Pag-Ibig officials implemented the project in Danao and Lapu-Lapu cities yet because their local government officials responded and coordinated with Pag-Ibig officials.

Anongos said they planned to implement the project in Mandaue City soon.

Pag-Ibig officials and representatives visited the barangays and market places in these cities to disseminate information about Pag-Ibig Fund.

“We told them that they will not get a permit if they won’t become members of Pag-Ibig” Anongos said in Cebuano.

He said they were also encouraging barangay officials to become Pag-Ibig members.

Those who are self-employed can apply  by going directly to the Pag-Ibig office or they can register online by visiting the website www.Pag-Ibigfund.gov.ph.

Members will give two percent of what they earn monthly.

“This is implemented so that all employees including those who are self-employed can acquire the benefits of Pag-Ibig especially that it is a savings program,” said Lovella Albina, legal counsel of Pag-Ibig Cebu North in a press conference  yesterday.

Albina was referring to the Market Stall project.

Benefits of Pag-Ibig include refund of member’s total accumulated savings , housing loan programs and multi-purpose loan programs.

Under RA 9679, which sets a mandatory universal coverage, all employees in different sectors – private, govenrment, including OFWs and self-employed citizens in the society are required to become members of the Pag-Ibig fund.

Albina said that under the new law, failure to deduct or collect Pag-Ibig contributions would be considered a criminal violation.

Albina said that Pag-Ibig Cebu North Branch already filed cases against 40 private employers for failing to remit Pag-Ibig contributions of their employees./Correspondent Joy C. Quito