MANILA, Philippines —Federation of Free Workers (FFW) express support and vote of confidence to the current Social Security System (SSS) to run after delinquent employers in order to fund the two thousand pension hike approved by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

SSS Chairman Dean Amado Valdez said the agency must take serious and appropriate action in running after employers with bad records in order to augment the necessary adjustment for the welfare of all its members.

“To sustain the fund of the SSS with the present pension hike of P2k, the SSS will run after delinquent employers who do not remit employees’ contribution,” Valdez explained.

In the report released by SSS Senior Vice President Voltaire Agas said at least there are about 34,000 employer’s that are being charged for non-remittance of  SSS contribution amounting to P1.4 billion.

He said delinquent employers are liable for “a fine of not less than Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) or more than Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00), or imprisonment for not less than six (6) years and one (1) day or more than twelve (12) years, or both, at the discretion of the court.

The recurring situation can be considered an offense falling under the revised penal code and they may be charge of an “estafa” if the act or omission penalized by the SSS Law be committed by an association, partnership, corporation or any other institution, its managing head, directors or partners shall be liable for the penalties provided in this Act for the offense.

Meanwhile,  FFW leadership calls for the government to comply with its contribution to SSS under Section 20 of R. A. 8282 which stated: “Sec 20. Government Contribution. — As the contribution of the Government to the operation of the System, the Congress shall annually appropriate out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, the necessary sum or sums to meet the estimated expenses of the System for each ensuing year.

In addition to this contribution, the Congress shall appropriate from time to time such sum or sums as may be needed to assure the maintenance of an adequate working balance of the funds of the System as disclosed by suitable periodic actuarial studies to be made of the operations of the System.

This yearly contribution was never complied with by the national government save for one, almost half a century since the operation of the SSS in 1957.

Thus, chairman Valdez should bring this delinquency of the governments to the attention of President Duterte and Congress to have an appropriate action.

FFW National President Attorney Sonny Matula believe that the inaction of some government officials and even those employers who intentionally violates the SSS pertinent policies affects the social well-being of its members.

“It is high time that the government, especially the President himself should look into it so that the suffering members could enjoy what is due to them. To have high moral ground to run after non-delinguent employers, dapat singilin din ng SSS ang kontribusyon ng gubyerno. The government has obligation to contribution to the system under SSS law and its non-observance shall not be excused by practice to the contrary under Section 7 of civil code provision.” Atty Matula added.  CPM