THE Bayan Muna partylist on Wednesday welcomed the signing of the P1,000 Social Security System (SSS) pension hike, granting pensioners an accumulated P2,000 collectible for January and February.
Bayan Muna representative Carlos Isagani Zarate, in a press statement, said the partylist hopes that there would be no more SSS contribution increase anymore.
"Nananawagan kami sa pamunuan ng SSS na huwag nang ituloy ang dagdag kontribusyon dahil dagdag pahirap ito sa mga miyembro ng SSS," Zarate said.
He said they are pleased to know that pensioners could already secure P2,000 pension from the SSS.
Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares also echoed the same sentiment, urging MalacaƱang not to allow the increase in the contribution without reforms in SSS collection efficiency.
Colmenares said President Rodrigo R. Duterte's approval of the pension increase is a major victory for senior citizens who worked hard to get it approved six years after they filed the pension increase bill last 2011.
Bayan Muna thanked the current leadership of the SSS for supporting the pension hike, Colmenares said, as they also vowed to help the SSS in increasing its funds through efficient collection.