KMU to ask high court to stop hike in SSS, PhilHealth premiums
MANILA—The militant labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno said Monday said it will ask the Supreme Court to stop the Social Security System and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. from raising their premiums, arguing that both agencies do not have the right to burden SSS and PhilHealth members after their executives gave themselves fat bonuses averaging over P1 million each.
The labor group said it was preparing to file a motion asking the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the premium hikes of SSS and PhilHealth by Wednesday.
“We will not let the Aquino administration push through with burdening us workers and the Filipino people. The SSS and PhilHealth premium hikes are part of the government’s anti-worker and anti-people schemes of extorting our hard-earned money for their corrupt and greedy fetishes,” KMU Secretary-General Rogelio Soluta said.
Malacañang officials earlier argued that the increases in SSS and PhilHealth contributions would result in more meaningful benefits for members.
“How could the SSS dry up its funds when they can dish out millions of its members’ money just for the bonuses of its board members? It is enraging how the Aquino administration uses the lack of funds as an excuse for the premium hike when it was the administration that also defended the million bonuses,” Soluta said.
Starting this month, the SSS is raising its monthly premium rate from 10.4 percent to 11 percent of a member’s monthly salary.
PhilHealth is also increasing its annual premium rate to P2,400 for individually paying members with a monthly income of P25,000 and below, and P3,600 for those with an income of P25,000 and above.
The KMU vowed to launch a series of protests against the premium hikes of the two agencies until the government decides to completely abandon them.
“Aside from the TRO, we vow to continue protesting against the SSS premium hike. We call on all SSS members, especially our fellow workers, to oppose this burdensome scheme until it is completely junked,” Soluta said.
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