Employers and workers disagree to SSS contribution hike

Both workers and employers were opposed on the possible increase of their monthly contribution for Social Security System pension.

According to Rosemarie, a local eatery vendor, her salary was just enough for to fill her family’s daily expenses and so she’s worried on the possible raise in their contribution.

“The bigger the deduction [on our salary], the lesser, the smaller [money] we can give for our family,” she said in Tagalog. (Pag mas malaki makakaltas [sa sweldo namin], mas kokonti, mas maliit ‘yong [perang] maiuuwi sa pamilya.)

On the same page, Donald Dee, President of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines, was against on the government’s possible decision as it would also affect numerous companies and their workers.

“Any increase from hereon will really hurt the pocket of the workers [of our company] ... It will be difficult for us to agree in the increase of the contribution,” he said.

As the economic managers of President Duterte see fit, they said the only way to increase the SSS pension was to raise its member’s monthly contribution or else SSS would face an economic crisis.

On the other hand, former Congressman Neri Colmenares opposed the government’s statement and said that the possibility of bankruptcy of SSS was impossible before calling them heartless.

“The economic mangers are heartless that’s why President Duterte should not listen to them,” Colmenares said.

The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines agreed with Colmenares and reasoned out that the increase should be on the salary of workers and not on their contribution.

In present, President Duterte’s promise to increase PHP1000 for the monthly pension of SSS members, which was to be implemented this January, is still pending as the government weighs its decision.