Senate adopts resolution on P1,000 SSS pension hike

FILE -SSS Rally- Pensioners and workers marched to Mendiola to assert their demand for a P2,000 SSS pension hike. President Benigno Aquino vetoed the proposed 2k hike last week, saying that it will disrupt the stability of the SSS fund life.
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ

The Senate on Wednesday adopted a resolution granting Social Security System (SSS) pensioners a P1,000 across-the-board increase effective immediately.

Instead of approving a bill that seeks a P2,000 across-the-board pension hike, Senator Richard Gordon said the Senate decided to just approve the resolution so that SSS pensioners will immediately receive the increase hopefully this December.

“It’s a sense that we’re expressing to the SSS that the P1,000 be distributed right away, immediately,” Gordon, chair of the Senate committee on government corporations and public enterprises that deliberated on the bill, told reporters.

He said SSS had already agreed to release the increase as soon as possible.

“They (SSS) are ready to do it by December so kung hindi namin gagawin, ilalabas nila at maiiwan kami sa pansitan (…if we don’t act, they would release it and we will be left behind),” the senator said.

“E gusto naman talaga ng mga senador na bigyan talaga ng P1,000 each ang mga pensioners (We really want to give P1,000 each to all pensioners),” Gordon said.

The senator though clarified that the Senate would still resume its deliberations on a bill that would grant SSS pensioners the full P2,000 across-the-board increase.

He said the chamber simply suspended a committee report on the bill but it would resume when Congress resumes its sessions in January next year./ac