SSS chief: I’m representing fund members at papal funeral

President Arroyo has designated Social Security System chairman Thelmo Cunanan to represent the 27 million SSS members in the Philippine delegation to the funeral of Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.

Cunanan, for his part, said his inclusion in the Filipino delegation to the Vatican will be an opportunity for the SSS to extend its services to Filipinos living in Italy.

"I am very honored to have been chosen as one of the delegates," Cunanan said.

"I am glad that I could represent the millions of SSS members and their dependents that could total 60 to 65 million Filipinos. I guess it is the prerogative of the President to choose who will join her delegation," he said.

The former Philippine National Oil Co. president issued the statement thanking the President and defended her from criticisms about his inclusion in the Philippine delegation.

Cunanan claimed he only learned of his inclusion two days earlier.

"This is a time of sorrow, I can’t believe that there are still some people who would think like this when the world is mourning for the loss of a great man. We should be condoling with the rest of the world and stop these nonsense comments," he said.

Cunanan stressed he would take the opportunity to visit the SSS representative office in the Philippine Embassy in Italy and reach out to Filipino migrant workers there to become SSS members.

He claimed that out of 100,000 Filipinos living in Italy, only 2,000 are SSS members.

"I would also make it an official trip and take time to talk to our members there," Cunanan said.

On the issue of his wife Belinda joining him on the trip to Vatican, Cunanan said his wife will be paying her own fare. Malacañang has said she will not be part of the official delegation.

"As a columnist, she (Mrs. Cunanan) will write about it. She will also be joining the group of Cecille Guidote-Alvarez who will try to (broadcast) a live feed on the radio of Pope John Paul II’s wake," he said. — Donnabelle Gatdula