CAMPAIGN. Social Security System Visayas West 1 Division vice president Lilani Benedian (left) with legal officer Maria Conchita Antipatia (2nd from right) and Victorias Branch head Brenda Cruz (right) during a recent Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) campaign in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. In the province alone, the SSS aims to collect PHP18.2 million worth of past-due contributions from 52 delinquent employers following a series of RACE operations in June. (Photo courtesy of SSS Bacolod Branch)
BACOLOD CITY – The Social Security System (SSS) Visayas West 1 Division, which covers the islands of Negros and Siquijor, has reported an 80 percent increase in collections from delinquent employers from January to April this year compared to the same period in 2022.
Data on Friday showed that in the first four months of 2023, total collections reached PHP237.94 million, which is PHP45.64 million higher than last year’s PHP192.30 million.
In a statement, Lilani Benedian, vice president for Visayas West 1 Division, said the “significant increase” in delinquency collections is a result of the region-wide conduct of Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) operations.
“The conduct of these operations is essentially for our members. It is our responsibility to ensure that they are given the lawful benefit they are entitled to at times of contingencies thus, collection of contributions is highly significant,” she added.
In Negros Occidental alone, Visayas West 1 Division aims to collect PHP18.2 million worth of past-due contributions from 52 delinquent employers following a series of RACE campaigns in June.
Some of these employers failed to register their business with the SSS while others were not able to remit their employees’ contributions.
“We intensified our campaign to call out these employers to fulfill their legal obligations,” Benedian said.
It is mandated by the law that companies must register their businesses and report for coverage all of their employees regardless of their employment status, deduct from the salaries of their employees their share in the monthly SSS contributions, including employees compensation (EC), and remit these regularly to the SSS.
The employers’ full compliance will make their workers eligible for benefits such as sickness, maternity, disability, unemployment, retirement, death and funeral as well as short-term loan privileges such as salary and calamity loan.
Also, the employees can avail of EC benefits for work-related contingencies, including sickness, injury or death.
“We are confident that collection would continue its ascent throughout the year since we also offer Contribution Penalty Condonation Program where business owners are given the opportunity to settle their delinquent accounts,” Benedian said.
The program allows one-time payment or installment terms of up to 48 months with a five percent downpayment of the principal delinquency and full payment of EC contributions. (PNA)
