House good gov’t vice chair slams SSS fee hike

DAVAO CITY—From local to national figures, opposition to the increase in workers’ contributions to the most basic pension service of the government for private sector employees, the Social Security System (SSS), is growing.

In this city, Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang said he was submitting a strongly worded resolution protesting the increase in workers’ contribution to SSS equivalent to up to 11 percent of workers’ salaries.

In a press statement, the vice chair of the House committee on good government, Rep. Paulino Salvador Leachon, said the increase in contribution should be “voluntary” on the part of the workers, and not mandated.

Ex-cabbie

Leachon, a former taxi driver, said the increase was ill-timed because millions of workers, especially in areas hit by Supertyphoon “Yolanda,” could barely eke out a living.

Instead of increasing workers’ contribution, SSS and another government agency, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), should run after employers who have not been remitting their workers’ contribution to the two agencies which is estimated now to be at least P90 billion, said Leachon.

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares earlier mentioned the uncollected premiums as basis for protesting the increase in workers’ contributions.

“The SSS has no moral authority to collect more because it still has a lot more to collect,” Colmenares said.

Leachon added in his statement that it should be unconscionable for SSS officials to demand an increase in workers’ contribution when they gifted themselves P10 million in bonuses.

Leachon said he supported a move for the House to investigate the financial status of SSS and PhilHealth.

No consultation

Starting on Jan. 1, the monthly contributions of SSS members went up to 11 percent from 10.4 percent, or P285 per month for a worker earning up to P2,749 per month.

PhilHealth members, on the other hand, started paying up to P200 per month from P175 in 2012.

Dayanghirang said what made the increase more unpalatable was the absence of consultation with SSS members.

“In the name of transparency people should have been consulted,” said Dayanghirang, a staunch supporter of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Dayanghirang’s position was shared by first district Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles, a bitter political rival of Duterte.

Nograles said he, too, supported a House investigation of the SSS premium increase. Judy Quiros and Allan Nawal, Inquirer Mindanao