Social security coverage of more than 5,000 job order (JOs) and contractual employees of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Manila International Airport Authority (MIIA) will now be ensured after the Social Security System (SSS) forged partnerships with the two government agencies.
MMDA currently employs around 3,667 job order and contractual employees while MIIA has a total of 1,800 workers on job order status.
“This agreement institutionalizes a mechanism that would make the registration process and remittance of SSS payments easier and more convenient for them by saving them the hassle of going to our branches and taking time off work,” SSS Senior Vice President and Head of Account Management Group Judy Frances A. See said.
See explained that all JOs and contractual hires who are not covered under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) are eligible to register in the SSS as self-employed members.
“With their SSS coverage and active membership, these workers can have access to financial assistance in the form of benefits or loans when a contingency or emergency need arises,” See said.
Under the agreement, the MMDA and MIIA will ensure that their job order and contractual employees are registered as self-employed members. They will also facilitate the monthly deduction of contributions and loan payments from their salaries and regular remittance to SSS or any of its accredited collection partners.
See, however, clarified that the two agencies have no obligation to pay the employer counterpart of the SSS contributions of their job order and contractual personnel.
The SSS, on the other hand, will conduct on-site registration and enrollment for the Unified Multipurpose Identification card, provide free information seminars, and assist the respective liaison officers of the MMDA and MIIA with other SSS needs.
The MMDA accounts will be handled by SSS Guadalupe Branch while the MIIA accounts will fall under SSS Pasay-Taft Branch. These branches will coordinate with the government partner agencies to ensure the smooth implementation of the Agreement.
“We hope that this continue to set the pace for other government agencies that share a collective interest in ensuring the effective social security coverage of their JOs and contractual personnel.” See said.
The SSS has also signed similar agreements in the past with the Department of Interior and Local Government for local government units and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
