SSS generates P2.8 B in Western Visayas
Bacolod City, Negros Occidental — The Social Security System (SSS) said contribution collections in Western Visayas for the first nine months of 2014 rose 13 percent to P2.8 billion from P2.5 billion in the same period of last year.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio S. de Quiros Jr. said 77 percent of the total amount collected were from employers that remitted P2.2 billion for their employees’ contributions.
Collections from self-employed and voluntary members amounted to P653 million, reflecting an increase of 16 percent from the P565.2 million collected within the 9-month period in 2013.
“Employers continue to help us achieve our goals with their cooperation and strict compliance with the SSS law. Within the three quarters of 2014, a total of 14,559 new employees are reported for social security coverage,” De Quiros said.
The SSS now has 1.81 million members in Western Visayas – including 39,313 newly registered members – comprised of employed members at 1.24 million; self-employed at 336,481; and voluntary members including Overseas Filipino Workers at 231,255.
“Contribution collections in this region also increased partly due to the growth in participating informal sector groups in our AlkanSSSya program and the continuous enrollment of contractual and job order employees of local government units.” De Quiros said.
For the period, 51 associations and LGUs joined the AlkanSSSya program in Western Visayas to cover some 4,680 individuals as self-employed members.
To date, the program has covered 102,765 workers from 1,028 informal sector groups and LGUs nationwide.
Social Security and Employees’ Compensation benefit disbursements in the region, on the other hand, reached P5.1 billion. About P4.64 billion of that amount was paid for the regular pensions for retirement, death and disability.
“Members in Western Visayas also received P5.03 million in lump-sum for retirement, P134.96 million for death, P254.65 million in funeral grants, P7.75 million for disability, P49.34 million for maternity and P20.01 million for sickness,” De Quiros said.
De Quiros who led the SSS Kapihan sa Bacolod on November 18 were with SSS officials in this City for a regional visit.
Meanwhile, the SSS inaugurated another new office in Bacolod City as part of the agency’s continuing drive to open more offices to improve service delivery.
SSS Assistant Vice President for Western Visayas Division Manolito C. Tagalog said the new SSS Bacolod East branch, located at the ground floor of the East Atrium Building, Burgos Extension in Bacolod City will cater to members from 11 barangays on the east part of Bacolod City and the towns of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto.
He said the new branch will handle the accounts of at least 3,000 employers with more than 20,000 employees.
Tagalog said the SSS expects an additional P8 million in contributions monthly from the new branch.
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