URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan — Starting September 2025, the Local Government Unit (LGU) of San Quintin, Pangasinan, will remit the P760 monthly Social Security System (SSS) contributions of 217 barangay workers under the Contribution Subsidy Provider Program (CSPP) to ensure social protection.
San Quintin is the first LGU in Pangasinan to partner with the SSS, through its Urdaneta Branch, to cover full contributions for barangay workers. The memorandum of agreement (MOA) was signed on August 22 at the municipal event center.
The LGU will spend P164,920 monthly for the initiative, which Mayor Farah Lee Lumahan described as a worthwhile investment in grassroots workers.
For Carmelita Padua, a former Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) and now a barangay health worker (BHW) in Cabalaoangan, the program guarantees continuous SSS protection without the burden of paying contributions herself.
“The CSPP is a great help for us, as we no longer have to worry about where to get our monthly SSS contributions. I am truly grateful to Mayor Lumahan and the SSS team for their support,” Padua said.
Another BHW, Aida Osias, shared that her low income had kept her from becoming an SSS member, but with the CSPP, she finally has the security she once thought was out of reach.
“I am so happy… this will really help me,” Osias said.
Mayor Lumahan said the initiative shows the LGU’s concern for barangay workers who play a crucial role in delivering community programs.
“They are the ones who work alongside us in every LGU program. They are the ones we rely on in the barangays to help disseminate information. Their sacrifices are invaluable, and out of love for them, we will shoulder their SSS contributions,” Lumahan said.
The honorarium for this year’s beneficiaries—BHWs, barangay nutrition scholars (BNS), barangay population workers (BPW), and child development workers (CDW)—ranges from P700 to P1,500. Lumahan said this amount is far from enough, which is why the CSPP is meant to provide real support for workers and their families.
She added that civilian volunteer organizations (CVO) are lined up as the next beneficiaries of the CSPP in 2026.
Understanding SSS CSPP
Luzon Central 1 Division vice president Vilma Agapito explained that the CSPP helps low-income workers by having subsidy providers shoulder their SSS contributions. This ensures continuous membership and access to benefits such as sickness, maternity, disability, and retirement.
Providers may include government agencies, private firms, non-government organizations, or philanthropists who cover contributions in full.
“We are really looking for those with kind hearts who are willing to help our fellow citizens gain free social security protection. We never stop encouraging them,” Agapito said.
SSS Urdaneta Branch acting head Christopher Servas added that CSPP can only reach more beneficiaries through active collaboration with stakeholders.
“Hopefully, all LGUs in Pangasinan will emulate this initiative,” Servas said.
San Quintin’s move sets an example for other LGUs in Pangasinan to provide social protection for grassroots workers. (CCMT/JCDR/DTD, PIA Pangasinan)