A MILITANT lawmaker thumbed down Tuesday the proposal of the Social Security System (SSS) leadership to implement structural reforms to extend its fund life, including another increase in the contribution rate.
It is also looking at raising the statutory cap for SSS contributions.
Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Neri Colmenares, main author of House Bill 5842 that would mandate a P2,000 SSS pension increase across the board, said that "the news that there can be a pension increase is in the offing has hardly set in when the SSS is already contemplating a contribution increase."
"How harsh can you get? Maawa naman sila sa mga miyembro," he said.
"Besides unlike other government owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) that remit their income as dividends every year, the SSS never plowed back to the government their income which is currently averaging at P30 billion a year. Under the law they are supposed to conduct a regular study on how to increase the pension of SSS pensioners but they have failed to do so," Colmenares added.
The House senior deputy minority leader said SSS should go all out in collecting from delinquent employers who are scrimping on their workers, which amounts to around P45.5 billion.
"This is definitely a huge amount that can be used to increase the pension of members of SSS and extend their fund life," he said.
Colmenares vowed to oppose any move to increase premium while he continue to press the Senate to immediately approve the P2000 per month increase of SSS pension. (Sunnex)