DOLE supports SSS pension hike

CEBU, Philippines - The top official of the Department of Labor and Employment supported President Rodrigo Duterte's move to grant an across-the-board hike in the Social Security System's pension.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, in a statement, said that the additional increase is a much-deserved incentive for two million pensioners.

Bello said workers' additional contribution to the SSS, which will fund the pension increase, should be considered as their long-term savings, and not as additional expense.

In May this year, a 1.5 percent increase in contribution will be implemented, thus from the current 11 percent, 12.5 percent of a worker's salary will go to SSS contributions. 

In peso value, the additional total contribution will range from P15-P740, equally shared by employer and employee.

"We must bear in mind that an actively paying SSS member can avail of social benefits and loan privileges," Bello said.

Bello said DOLE will continuously observe stricter implementation of the Labor Laws Compliance System, specifically on monitoring the establishments' compliance with mandated social benefits, particularly, SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-Ibig payments and remittances.

The labor chief said that this is one way of safeguarding and protecting the rights of our workers and it is also the employers' legal and moral responsibility to their employees.

Apart from assessing the establishment's compliance with General Labor Standards, Bello added that DOLE regional offices will also check if employers follow the Occupational Safety and Health Standards and other related labor laws and issuances. (FREEMAN)