A LABOR leader in the province lauded the Social Security System (SSS) in Bacolod City for going after delinquent employers who have been remiss in paying the contributions of their employees.
Wennie Sancho, secretary-general of the General Alliance of Workers Association (GAWA), said the moves made by the SSS would protect the workers and ensure that the employers are correctly remitting the contributions.
Sancho said he is hoping that the SSS will continue these activities as he called on the other government agencies that are also collecting employee remittances such as the Pag-IBIG Fund, and the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth) to follow suit.
The SSS, through its "Run After Contributions Evaders" (RACE) campaign Thursday and Friday last week issued show cause orders to 12 business establishments.
Lawyer Eduard Dorsey Caratao of the SSS West Visayas 1 Division legal operations earlier said that the delinquent establishments were given 15 days to answer the show cause orders.
Under Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018, Caratao said, non-payment of SSS contributions, non-registration, under declaration of employees and underpayment of remittances to SSS are considered criminal liabilities.
Penalties for these acts include six months to 12 years of imprisonment.
However, Caratao said, the employers have an option to pay in installment basis for the next 18 months.
He also said that there are about 50 employers in Bacolod City who are already facing charges for violation of RA 11199.