SSS asks gondola crash victims' kin to claim benefits

MANILA, Philippines -  The Social Security System (SSS), the state-owned pension fund for private employees, said yesterday it has collected overdue contributions of construction workers who died in a gondola crash in Makati City last January.

The agency called on the families of the victims to file claim applications at the SSS branch nearest them.

“We worked on the case to help the families of the workers. Their employer, Arlo Aluminum, Inc., has settled its obligations,” said SSS president and chief executive officer Emilio de Quiros Jr.

The company paid the delinquent contributions of the workers, which range from five to 49 months, including a three percent monthly penalty. Arlo Aluminum was contracted to install glass windows at Eton Greenbelt, a 39-story building in Legaspi Village, Makati.

The 11 workers fell from the 32nd floor when the makeshift elevator snapped as it carried them from the top floor. Ten of the workers died and one was seriously injured.

De Quiros said the beneficiaries of the construction workers are entitled to P20,000 funeral benefit and P10,000 from the Employees Compensation (EC) program, which provides additional payments for work-related contingencies.

They will also receive SSS and EC death benefits. SSS would bill Arlo Aluminum for other damages, as provided by the SSS charter.

The agency is stepping up efforts to collect from delinquent employers. Last year, it was able to collect P979.46 million in contributions and loan amortizations from delinquent employers. The amount surpassed the P716.16 million delinquency collection recorded in 2009 or an increase of 37 percent or P260 million.