SSS urged to explain P325-B collectibles

MANILA, Philippines - The Social Security System was urged yesterday to explain to the public what happened to the accumulated P325-billion SSS collectibles as of 2008.

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, one of the authors of the vetoed P2,000 pension hike bill, made the appeal, saying SSS officials have not accounted for the huge amount of contributions due from members and their employers.

“How much has been collected?” he asked. “How much has not been collected up to now? We urge the SSS to come out with the complete facts so that the public will know the truth.”

SSS officials have acknowledged the existence of the P325-billion delinquent contributions, Colmenares said.

SSS vice president Rizaldy Capulong sent Colmenares a letter, dated Jan. 13, 2012, about payments received from employers who had availed themselves of relief under Republic Act 9903, the Social Security Condonation Law of 2009.

Colmenares quoted the letter: “After the six-month availment period of the condonation program, which ended on Aug. 2, 2010, a total of 24,043 employers were able to avail of the program with a total obligation of P3,545,918,077 and total condoned penalty of P3,423,945,010. A greater number of employers (15,591) who availed themselves of the program were able to settle their obligations in cash amounting to P710,345,281, while the remaining 8,451 employers submitted proposal for installment payment after settling P500,118,723 in current obligation with the balance of P2,335,452,073 to be paid in equal monthly installments not exceeding four years.”

The amounts that the SSS had collected under the condonation law were nowhere near the P325-billion delinquency, Colmenares said.

Since 2010, the SSS has been filing cases against delinquent employers, he quoted SSS vice president for public affairs Marissu Bugante as saying.

Colmenares said the SSS must inform the public how much has been collected, aside from the amounts mentioned in Capulong's letter.

“I don’t understand the SSS declaration that the report of its P325 billion in uncollected income was biased media reporting that damaged the institution,” he said. “The data is true and even came from SSS, so how can that be biased reporting?”

“The SSS is actually threatening the media not to report facts that show its failure to do its job. It’s absurd because the public and even other government agencies cannot make the right decisions if the facts are not presented. Otherwise, SSS can make exaggerated claims such as lack of funds to support a pension increase to justify the veto while the pensioners are deprived of what was due them many years ago.”