THE Social Security System (SSS) is intensifying its campaign against contribution evaders with the conduct of Race (Run Against Contribution Evaders) conducted by the different branches across the country.
One such Race was conducted by SSS Davao-Toril Branch on August 5, where a team visited seven establishments.
“The Race is being done by all branches across the Philippines in order for us to visit our employers to remind them of their obligations as employers to collect contributions from their employees and to remit such contributions to the System,” says Jocelyn T. Gopo, branch head of SSS Davao Toril Branch.
Gopo says they are visiting establishments that are registering their employees, not deducting contributions, and not remitting these contributions.
“In the process of our Race operations, we give them 15 days so that they can comply,” Gopo said.
Formerly held once a year, Race is now being held regularly to lessen the number of contribution evaders.
Lawyer Chillet Bolo-Escovilla, department manager, Operation Legal Department of SSS-Davao, said they have seen that the Race has been effective, which is why it has been made a regular activity.
She said that Race is not a punitive measure but rather an act of helping the employers, which the SSS considers as partners.
“The SSS naa diri para magtabang sa ilaha mao nagapahigayon mi ug Race operations para i-remind sila na naa sila obligasyon na kinihanglan nila i-comply para dili sila maglisod kay pag muabot na na sa filing of case ma-hassle na jud na sila,” Escovilla said.
(The SSS is here to help them, that is why we conduct Race operations to remind them that they have obligations they need to comply, so that they will not face difficulty, because if ever a case is filed against them, they will surely be inconvenienced.)
Escovilla said, based on records, there is a rising number of cases filed against erring employers. The SSS Mindanao South Division, covering the areas from Bislig, Surigao del Sur, to Digos City, Davao del Sur filed 393 cases in 2024, while from January to June 2025, a total of 211 cases were filed against contribution evaders.
“The cases are increasing because daghan man pud ta ug business establishment, daghan pud ta ug bag-ong accounts,’ Escovilla said.
(We have many business establishments we have many new accounts.) PIA DAVAO