RACE. Officials of the Social Security System in Urdaneta City speak during a press conference in Urdaneta City, Pangasinan on Thursday (Sept. 28, 2023). The officials gave updates on the Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) program this year and the proposed enrollment of 20,000 farmers in the province to the contribution subsidy program. (PNA photo by Hilda Austria)
URDANETA CITY, Pangasinan – The Social Security System’s (SSS) office here is eyeing to enroll 20,000 farmers from the fifth and sixth districts of Pangasinan to the contribution subsidy program, its chief said Thursday.
The office has coordinated with the SSS main office and is waiting for a meeting with the provincial government to present the subsidy program, which is tentatively slated to start second week of October, Christopher Servas said during a press conference.
"This will be a very good project for the farmers as this will help in poverty alleviation. This will also be beneficial to their families so when they complete the required number of contributions, they will be able to receive monthly pension someday,” Servas said.
Under the program, he said, Pangasinan’s provincial government would provide the farmers’ contribution subsidy for six months.
“It will cover the lean months when they have no income to pay the monthly contribution but during their harvest season months, they will shoulder their contribution,” Servas said.
Observing that most farmers are between 50 years and 59 years, he expressed hope that through the program, the younger generations would be encouraged to enter the farming industry.
Servas noted that the enrollment to the SSS program in the fifth and sixth districts of Pangasinan remains low.
“Most of the farmers are in the poverty line, hence we understand that they will prioritize providing for the needs of their families instead of paying a monthly contribution to the SSS,” he said.
SSS evaders
Meanwhile, the SSS, under its Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) program, ordered seven employers in this city to comply with the law or face the consequences.
Servas called out one of the employers for non-registration and six for non-remittance of contributions.
He said they would have to collect about PHP900,000 from the seven delinquent employers.
“They were oriented a while ago and upon handing the order to them, they were given 16 days to comply. But after that, if they fail to do so, we will refer their case to the legal department,” Servas said.
The employers are micro and small industries in the food, retail, hardware, and hospitality industries, he said.
Servas said they are also coordinating with local government units (LGUs) to implement the SSS law, specifically Section 24, which mandates businesses to register their employees with the SSS before their business permits are released.
“We had one-on-one meetings with the mayors of the 19 LGUs and emphasized to them that SSS is a mandatory requirement for businesses. And the economic centers, such as Urdaneta City, Tayug, and Rosales towns, will be the first to implement by October this year,” he said. “We cannot get 100 percent compliance but at least we can lessen conducting RACE or delinquencies.” (PNA)
