MANILA — Malacañang has announced that it will allow the Social Security System (SSS) to proceed with its planned contribution rate hike, citing that the increase was “well-studied.”
In a press briefing on Tuesday (07 Jan 2025), Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin emphasized that the government should refrain from interfering with the operations of the social insurance agency.
“Increases like these are based on thorough actuarial studies,” Bersamin said. “It’s not appropriate to arbitrarily block such adjustments. The SSS is backed by a respected team of actuaries, and they have conducted extensive research to support the increase.”
He added, “If the government constantly interferes in their management, it may lead to undesirable outcomes. We should allow the process to unfold and trust that it will yield positive results.”
Bersamin also suggested that calls to delay the contribution hike might have political motivations. Among those advocating for a suspension is former SSS president Rolando Macasaet, who is running for a party-list seat in the 2025 midterm elections.
“You need to understand the source of the opposition. It comes from someone who’s a candidate – Rolly Macasaet, who was previously the president of the SSS,” Bersamin said. “I don’t know if this is part of his campaign strategy, but we will take his request seriously if it is formally presented to us.”
Several groups, including Macasaet and certain lawmakers, have urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the SSS to halt the scheduled increase in contribution rates.
In a separate briefing, SSS President Robert Joseph De Claro stated that while he has not yet discussed the issue directly with the President, the hike is necessary to address the immediate needs of the agency’s members. De Claro emphasized that the increase would not jeopardize the fund’s sustainability, but would provide crucial financial resources for SSS services, particularly calamity loans.
He revealed that the additional P51 billion in projected collections would be allocated to various SSS programs, including disaster relief loans. Last year, the agency disbursed approximately P9.8 billion in calamity loans to affected areas.
ia/mnm
