Workers protest hike in SSS, PhilHealth premiums

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino workers took to the streets in a bid to stop the impending increase in the premiums of the Social Security System (SSS) and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth).

Workers belonging to labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) yesterday trooped to the SSS main office in Quezon City to demand the scrapping of the planned increase in contribution of members.

Staring this month, the SSS would increase contributions from 10.4 percent to 11 percent, which KMU secretary-general Rogelio Soluta said would force minimum wage earners to pay P25 more in premium.

KMU members are seeking a court restraining order to prevent the implementation of the increase.

“We will not let the Aquino government push through with burdening us workers and the Filipino people. The SSS premium hike is a part of the government’s anti-worker and anti-people schemes of extorting our hard-earned money for their corrupt and greedy fetishes,” Soluta said.

Soluta also said the claim of SSS that increasing the contributions was needed to prevent the agency’s fund from drying up was untrue since some of its officials received millions in bonuses.

“We workers strongly demand the junking of the SSS premium hike since it would surely go not to additional benefits but only directly to capitalists’ and corrupt bureaucrats’ pockets,” he added.

The KMU said it would continue the protest action against the premium hike until the plan is totally junked.

The other day, over 400 Filipino workers in Hong Kong also staged a protest action in front of the Philippine consulate general to express their objection against the impending increase in PhilHealth premiums for OFWs.

It was reported earlier that the annual premium of OFWs would be increased from P1,200 to P2,400.

Dolores Balladares, chair of labor group United Filipinos in Hong Kong, said the premium hike is an unjust burden for OFWs, especially those whose families were affected by the series of calamities that hit the country.

“The new fee hike is very untimely, not to mention without any basis at all. This is the height of insensitivity of the government to the plight of OFWs,” she said.

Balladares said OFWs would hold a series of protest actions against the premium hike.