DUMAGUETE CITY -- A member of the business community here has enjoined employers to enroll their “kasambahay” or house helpers in the Social Security System (SSS) so that when they retire, they will have something to lean on.
Engineer Greg Uymatiao, a contractor, on Thursday pointed out the fact that helpers receive meager salaries.
Their minimum pension is PHP2,200 and maximum is PHP3,400 if membership in SSS reaches 20 years, he said.
Likewise, Uymatiao encouraged home partners of the Habitat Housing Project to become members of the SSS, so they would receive pensions when they reach 60 years old.
The businessman also said the government should also include job order employees in the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) membership.
Meanwhile, employers are obliged to report to the SSS the list of their employees with the corresponding SSS contributions one month after the date they are hired.
Failure of employers to report will make them liable for damages.
SSS Branch Manager Elisa Llavan has encouraged everybody to become members, noting that its main purpose is poverty reduction.
“We want to help the government in the economic development of the community. We want every member of society to be a beneficiary in times of need like sickness, maternity, funeral service to defray funeral expenses and we want them to be retiree pensioners in the future, so they will not be dependent on anybody,” Llavan said.
She said under the program “Contribution Sulit na Sulit”, one can become a lifetime member after a one-time contribution of PHP330. Under this program, the family of a dead member will receive a PHP20,000 funeral benefit plus a PHP12,000 death benefit. (PNA)
