Garbage collectors are now SSS members

The first time I heard  about garbage collectors making contributions to the Social Security System was when I was editing the quarterly news magazine  of GADCRO (Gender and Development Resource Coordinating Office) at the Quezon City Hall.  An article described how garbage collectors drop  P10 a day in special piggy banks (alkansiya) bearing their names, which collections are brought to SSS stations by authorized personnel, and entered  as regular SSS contributions in the garbage collectors’ records. The records are enviolable. The P10 daily saving add up to P300 to P310 a month, which contributions make them regular members of the system and entitle them to benefits like medical expenses, educational and housing loans, and retirement and separation benefits.  Previously, only  regular  office employees were SSS members.

A worker can easily spend P10 a day on cigarettes and hard liquor, so his wife is possibly pleased that P10 a day is being saved for the family’s future.

I’m impressed by this innovation, called AlkanSSSya. SSS president and CEO Emil de Quiros Jr. told the Bulong Pulungan media forum at Sofitel Hotel that the AlkanSSSya Program is one of three programs for the Informal Sector Group (ISG), the other two being the Servicing Partner Agent (SPA) Agreement for cooperatives and micro-finance institutions, and the Subsidy Program for farmers and workers in the agriculture sector.

Each of these initiatives, said De Quiros, takes into consideration the income and employment limitations of informal sector workers and their challenges in obtaining affordable social security coverage.

Under the AlkanSSSya Program, the SSS has successfully partnered with 166 ISGs covering 14,903 members as of June 2013. Majority of the ISGs are tricycle operators and drivers association (TODA), followed by market vendors, trisikad operators and drivers, jail inmates, farmers and fisherfolk.

SSS has programs for self-employed professionals and overseas Filipino workers  to improve the yields on their savings.

 SSS marked 56th anniversary last month with the theme, “SSS: Nagpupugay sa Miyembro, Bilib Kami sa “Yo!” 

The theme spotlighted  the continuing support of the system’s  members, which include professionals, self-employed individuals, businessmen, and of late, the informal sector consisting of garbage collectors and street vendors and the like.

As of June 2013, there were over 30 million members registered with the SSS. Of the total membership, 22.2 million are private sector employees, 7.8 million are self-employed workers and voluntary members, including 870,739 registered  OFW members. Registered employers totaled 871,642.

How much money does SSS have? The organization’s 56th anniversary  publication  reports that in the first six months of 2013, the SSS posted a net income of P21.67 billion, a 16 percent increase from the P18.68 billion that it earned in the same period of 2012. This net income “was fueled by growth in contribution collections, accompanied by tighter monitoring of operating expenses and prudent management of benefit payments.”

Total SSS revenues, which come from contribution collections and investment earnings, from January to June 2013 jumped by 5.7 per cent to P68.68 billion from P65.0 billion in the same period of 2012. Contribution collections in the first half of 2013 rose by nine per cent to P50.84 billion, although investments and other income suffered a slight 2.6 percent drop to P17.84 billion due to low interest rates and reduced opportunities in the equities market.

Having said good things about the programs  of the organization, we come to the question being raised by critics: Why were the eight members of the nine-member Social Security Commission  granted an average of about P1million each, as Performance-Based Incentive (PBI) for the year 2012?

My understanding of the lengthy explanation sent me by an SSS executive is that the granting of the PBI (or bonus, if you may) is legal. “Given

the fact that SSS met its previously agreed performance targets for 2012, the GCG  (Goveranance Commission on GOCCs) in accordance with the law and after validating the SSS performance report, had determined that the SSC members are entitled to the PBI. The authority to grant the bonuses of the SSC came out in Sept. 2013, more than 9 months after the employees of SSS received their  PBI. As provided in EO 24, the basis of the bonus is the total per diem in year that a board member received.”

President Aquino justified the SSS bonuses. He told reporters, “I think some sectors would say this is unfair, but . . . when we’re talking about bonuses make sure the GOCC has an income. If it is receiving subsidy, it should not be given any bonus.

The  President said, the CCG informed him that there are certain entities that are and would never be profitable. “What if their performance is good in terms of cutting down losses? How about those who are performing well?”      

“If you’re talking about the SSS, solidity of the fund has been addressed through the efforts of the board and the personnel management of the SSS.”

The President, rightly so, said perks and privileges entice competent people to join GOCCs because their management skills are needed.

Besides, a colleague of mine says, “My privileges have not been affected by the so-called bonus. I get mine on time, without reduction. I have no objection to SSS executives being given bonuses for managing our funds well.”

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If you’re looking for outstanding art works to add  beauty and class  to your condo, visit LRI Design Plaza on 210 Nicanor Garcia St., Bel Air,  Makati. There will be 80 pieces of artworks by eight dynamic artists to choose from. The artists have banded together to form an  exhibit called Artmoves.  Their  works will be viewed Oct. 25 – 28 at LRI Design Plaza  on Reposo St., Makati. Here are the Artmovers.

You’ll love Kuh Ledesma, not for just her singing,  but this time, for her brush works on canvas.

Kartrina Pallon’s canvases are full of living color. She is highly influenced by Frida Kahlo.

Roland Santos, a master colorist, had ten one man shows from 1998 to 2010, and has published a book, Nostalgia. His series on bougainvilla and other flowers  captivates.

etro Jocson is adept in surreal, contemporary and minimalist styles.  An art contest award winner and a performance artist, Jetro is an art instructor.

This is Monchot Ongsiako’s first exhibit of his water color paintings.  He has a great passion for cooking,  being a chef with a degree from San Francisco, US.  He paints serene landscapes  to soothe his stresses away .

Evie Roque, educated and gracious in the autumn of her life, is  committed to her computer, photoshop program and the inspiration of major advocate Andy Warhol. 

Again, photographer Mandy Navasero exhibits her photographs of  Batanes’ beautiful sites in collaboration with US- based artist  Bobby Nuestro who repeatedly paints the images in oil on arch paper.

Vinson Yap is a smart businessman who is known for Award Works Inc.  where you order plaques and trophies which he revolutionized into glass with designed etchings. 

Artmoves is open to the public  and homemakers, interior designers, architects, condo residents, resort owners and collectors,   from Oct. 25-28,   Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm. 

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