THE Social Security System (SSS) has ramped up its efforts to ensure the social security protection of workers in the popular resort destination of Panglao Island, Bohol, through a recent “Run After Contributions Evaders” (Race) operation.
SSS Visayas Central 1 Division acting head Eric Coronado reported that stern warnings were issued to six business establishments in Panglao, urging them to settle approximately P1.3 million in unpaid SSS contributions and penalties to safeguard the benefits of their employees.
Highlighting that over 900 employers are registered with the SSS in Panglao, a municipality known for its thriving resort industry, Coronado emphasized the agency’s commitment to protecting the welfare of SSS members by addressing contribution delinquencies. He further said that the SSS is collaborating closely with Panglao’s Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) to identify and ensure SSS coverage for employees in other establishments within
the area.
The Race operation specifically aims to secure the welfare of over 4,000 employees working across 925 SSS-registered establishments in Panglao. Coronado noted the SSS’s immediate focus will shift to encouraging over 1,000 currently non-compliant establishments to register their businesses and report their employees for SSS coverage, prioritizing the timely remittance of contributions to ensure members’ access to benefits and
loan eligibility.
According to Panglao’s BPLO, as of March 2025, there are approximately 2,664 registered establishments in the town, with a significant concentration in the hospitality sector.
Coronado also pointed to a substantial increase in employer registrations with the SSS Tagbilaran Branch since 2022, including a record 218 percent surge in 2022 compared to 2021. In the past year alone, the Tagbilaran SSS office recorded an average of 20 new employer registrations monthly, covering an average of 76 employees per employer.
Coronado said that the SSS will continue to work closely with the local government unit of Panglao to guarantee that workers in the area receive the appropriate SSS benefits in case of employment-rela-
ted contingencies.
As of March 2025, the SSS Visayas Central 1 Division has conducted 29 Race operations across Cebu and Bohol, resulting in initial collections amounting to P6.6 million. / KOC