Former Bayan Muna Congressman Neri Colmenares today slammed the Social Security System (SSS) leadership for implementing premium increases while failing to collect P93.747 billion in unpaid contributions from delinquent employers.
“The SSS has the gall to burden members with higher premiums when they can’t even collect P93.7 billion in unpaid contributions. This is the height of incompetence and mismanagement,” Colmenares said.
“Sobra naman sa kapal ng mukha ng SSS na magtaas ng premium sa mga miyembro habang P93.7 bilyon ang hindi nila masingil sa mga employer na hindi nagre-remit. Bakit ang mga manggagawa ang pinapasan ang kabiguan ng SSS management?” he emphasized.
According to the Commission on Audit (COA), SSS has only collected a mere 4.89% (P4.58 billion) of the total outstanding balance, leaving P89.17 billion uncollected from 420,627 employers.
“This is criminal negligence. Ang SSS ay may legal powers para ipatupad ang collection, pero bakit napakahina ng kanilang collection efficiency? Instead of running after delinquent employers, pinili nilang pahirapan ang mga miyembro sa bagong taas-premium,” Colmenares pointed out.
The veteran labor rights advocate noted that 349,189 employers didn’t even bother to avail of SSS’s installment payment program. “Kitang-kita ang kawalan ng political will ng SSS leadership. Employers are practically laughing at their face while they squeeze more money from ordinary workers.”
“Bago nila pag-isipan ang premium hike, unahin muna nilang singilin ang mga delingkwenteng employer. The P93.7 billion in uncollected premiums could significantly improve SSS’s fund life without burdening members with higher contributions,” he added.
“We demand that SSS suspend this premium increase and focus instead on aggressive collection of unpaid contributions. Hindi dapat magdusa ang mga manggagawa sa kapalpakan ng SSS management,” Colmenares concluded.#
