Lawmakers move to ensure SSS pension hike will happen in January 2019

Reps. Arlene Brosas, Carlos Isagani Zarate, Sarah Jane Elago, France Castro and Ariel Casilao of the Makabayan bloc in a press briefing at the House of Representatives.  (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/Vince F. Nonato)

The Makabayan bloc at the House of Representatives has filed a joint resolution, which would order the implementation of the second tranche of the Social Security System (SSS) pension increase effective January 1, 2019.

In filing Joint House Resolution number 22 on Thursday, the group aimed to avert the impending proposal of the SSS to defer the pension increase implementation next year until the planned contribution hike is implemented.

Authors of the resolution were Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, ACT-Teachers Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro, Gabriela Reps. Emmi de Jesus and Arlene Brosas, Anakpawis Rep. Ariel Casilao, and Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago.

According to the lawmakers, delaying the release of the SSS pension increase’s second tranche “would mean further suffering among many SSS pensioners.”

“There is an increasing clamor among the SSS pensioners and their families to immediately implement the 2nd tranche of SSS pension increase to cushion the effects of Train (Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion) Law, and provide social protection to the pensioners,” the resolution read.

“Without appropriate and immediate intervention, the SSS will fail in its role to provide basic economic security for the people, curb poverty, provide economic stability, redistribute income, and preserve important social and individual values,” it added.

Earlier, SSS president and chief executive officer, Emmanuel Dooc, said he would ask the Office of the President and Department of Finance to postpone the implementation of the second tranche of additional pension scheduled next year as the planned SSS contribution rate increase has yet to push through.

Dooc said SSS would face “difficulties” in implementing the pension increase without supplementary funds because the agency would have to shell out an additional P2.5 billion a month for a P2,000 per month pension increase in 2019.

Through a memorandum signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on February 22, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the P2,000 increase in the SSS pension.

The memorandum stated that an initial P1,000 increase would take effect retroactively on January 2017 while the second tranche of the pension increase worth P1,000 should be implemented in the year 2022 or earlier.            /kga