House execs getting fat allowances, too

They may not be getting P200,000 or P300,000 a month like top executives of the Social Security System (SSS), but by government standards, officials of the House of Representatives are receiving huge allowances.

At least 69 House officials receive P23,385 to P85,733 a month in allowances for "extraordinary and miscellaneous expenses, and other operating expenses," on top of their salaries.

The huge amounts may perhaps be justified if ranged against the monthly stipend of their bosses, congressmen and congresswomen, which exceeds P200,000, plus their P35,000 salary.

House secretary general Roberto Nazareno receives the highest allowance of P85,733. His total pay comes up to P120,000, including his P35,000 basic salary.

Seven of his eight deputies are getting P56,733.32 a month. They are Ofelia Cruz, Rafael de Guzman, Lourdes Santos, Bayani Fabic, Romulo Neri, Cecilia David, and Arlene Dada Arnaldo.

The eighth deputy secretary general, Victoria Loanzon, who has resigned, was receiving P47,503.33 in allowances.

Some of the 69 officials are not even working in the House and are detailed with other offices. Santos, for instance, was working for Ismael Mathay Jr. when he was Quezon City mayor. Mathay is a former congressman.

Some employees of the chamber are asking whether these officials can receive allowances that are way above their salaries.

In principle, they said an allowance should only be a fraction of a worker’s basic pay.

They also said it is unfair that these officials are getting huge allowances while the lowly employees are receiving only the P500 cost-of-living allowance and the additional P500 in personnel economic relief allowance.

Meanwhile, Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri (Lakas, Bukidnon) said SSS benefit payments have been exceeding premium contributions, resulting in a shortfall that threatens the pension fund’s financial viability.

Zubiri said last year, benefit payments amounted to P33.89 billion, while premium contributions reached P30.32 billion, or a shortfall of P3.57 billion.

"If we add operational expenses of P4.2 billion, the actual shortfall amounted to P7.8 billion," he said.

He added that the SSS should reverse this trend to restore its viability.