PRESS CONFERENCE. Social Security System Luzon Central I Division officer-in-charge Primitivo Verania Jr. (right) and SSS Urdaneta City branch acting head Christopher Servas speak during a press conference in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan on Thursday (Aug. 3, 2023). Serania said seven employers were subjected to the Run After Contribution Evaders campaign of the SSS in Urdaneta City. (PNA photo by Hilda Austria)
URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan – The Social Security System (SSS) bracn in Urdaneta City is set to collect some PHP167,380 from four delinquent employers here following the second Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) campaign this year held on Thursday.
In a press conference, SSS concurrent officer-in-charge for Luzon Central I Division Primitivo Verania Jr. said they are part of seven employers who were ordered by the SSS to report to them within five days and comply, or pay their delinquent accounts within 15 days.
The three other employers were notified due to non-registration of their businesses, he said.
“We issued a notice of violation and instruct them to report to SSS within five days or face legal consequences. Hopefully, within 15 days they will comply otherwise we will file a case against them,” he said.
Verania said the RACE aims to beef up the campaign against delinquent employers as they aim to compel the employers to comply with the law.
“We try to instill to them what it is being employers to give benefits and privileges to their employees so we do these things and it is statutory under Republic Act 11199 (Social Security Act of 2018) so they have to comply,” he said.
He added that they also offer condonation or installment proposals or promissory notes.
SSS Urdaneta City chief Christopher Servas said this is ultimately beneficial to the employees as it concerns their benefits and privileges as stated in the law.
“If the employees were not able to avail of the SSS services due to the delinquency of their employers, the latter should be able to pay the benefit given that the prescriptive period of availing has already expired,” he said.
Meanwhile, SSS Urdaneta reported that five of the six employers who were subjected to the first RACE this year held in May have already complied.
Verania said one of these employers who were not named due to the data privacy law has fully paid the delinquency or obligation, while three availed of the installment proposal and the last one already registered the business.
“Only one employer was sent a final demand letter,” he said.
SSS Urdaneta will conduct another RACE operations in September.
The RACE covers employers with less than 100 employees or micro and small enterprises.
The SSS Urdaneta City Branch covers the fifth and sixth district of Pangasinan with over 19 local government units. (PNA)
