Labor groups hit P280M SSS bonus

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu-based labor groups have expressed their disgust over the granting of more than P280 million bonuses for the board of directors and employees of the Social Security System.

Partido ng Manggagawa-Cebu spokesperson Dennis Derige said that the P280 million worth of bonuses is not only immoral but a legalized corruption.

“They gave luxurious incentives among themselves while calling on all SSS paying workers to sacrifice further by increasing their monthly contribution to 11 percent. They are so thick-face,” Derige said.

He said that these people are no different from those involved in the pork barrel scam.

“They are all the same in the same (way) that they maneuver the people’s money to satisfy their own interests,” he said.

Derige added that with the huge amount, many housing projects can be allocated for the SSS members as well as more loans can be granted for members who are in dire needs of funds.

Jose Tomongha, chairman of the Alliance of Progressive Labor-Central Visayas, said that the giving of bonuses has to be investigated.

“Shame to the SSS officials. There bonuses are from the worker’s money. They claimed of having fund’s deficit but they got millions of pesos from our savings supposedly for our future. It must be investigated,” Tomongha said.

Metodio Belarmino Jr., spokesperson of Cebu Labor Coalition, said that this is clearly an abused of power on the part of SSS officials.

“Matuwid na daan ba ni?. This is crazy. Wala silay delicadeza,” said Belarmino.

Antonio Cuizon, a labor union president of Carmen Copper Corporation, said the giving of bonuses among these officials and employees is tantamount to legal hold-up to the worker’s money.

Cuizon likened them to legislators who stole and sucked the people’s money.

Associated Labor Union-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) spokesperson, Art Barrit, also said that the planned increase of SSS premium would devaluate the real wage of workers.

Barrit said that it will also erode the take home pay of the workers which is a worker’s capacity to buy goods and services knowing the many deductions not only the SSS premiums.

“I’m dismayed by this development. What happened to SSS? Id the funds are deficit, maybe they invested heavily on business venture which return of investment is not good,” he added. — (FREEMAN)