DOLE-7 non-organic staff now covered with SSS

CEBU, Philippines —  The Department of Labor and Employment-7 recently inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Social Security System (SSS) that will have the latter cover the DOLE-7’s non-organic staff.

As of date, around seventy-five Contract of Service-Individuals, who are mostly Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced (TUPAD) coordinators, Livelihood and Development Specialists (LDS); Project-based Individuals (PBIs); and Community Facilitators (CFs), manifested their interest to be covered by the SSS.

“It is my personal mission to provide all our TCs, LDS, PBIs and CFs, among others with protection against the hazards of disability, sickness, maternity, old age, death and other contingencies that the SSS offers. It gives me a sense of security that whatever happens to non-organic staff, the SSS is there,” DOLE-7 Regional Director, Lilia A. Estillore said in a statement.

SSS Vice President for Visayas Central 1 Division Atty. Alberto Montalbo, who was welcomed by Estillore during the MOA signing said that every time that they sign a MOA for the SSS coverage of the non-organic staff of a certain government agency, it shows the concern of the agency heads toward the welfare of their personnel.

Montalbo said that non-organic staff are not covered with the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the latter are now protected through their voluntary contributions with the SSS.

Under the MOA, the SSS has agreed to cover the Contract of Service-Individuals (TCs, LDS, PBIs, and CFs, etc.) of DOLE-7 as self-employed members under the Social Security Act of 2018. DOLE-7 will assist said personnel with the remittances with their monthly Social Security (SS) and Employees’ Compensation (EC) contributions.

“We are also very happy to share that our regular or permanent employees who are existing SSS members by virtue of private employment or self-employment may also opt to continue paying their contributions as voluntary members. And we are very thankful to Atty. Montalbo for the assistance they will extend to us for the remittance of our personnel’s preferred monthly SS contributions,” Estillore added.

SSS members can avail of maternity, sickness, disability, retirement, funeral and death benefits. SSS also allows qualified members to take up salary, housing, business, and educational loans, among others.

DOLE-7 has assigned personnel who will serve as the liaison officer for SSS, who will help facilitate the payment of voluntary contributions of its personnel. In return, the SSS has also assigned an account officer who shall manage the DOLE-7 account and assist in the implementation of the MOA.

Estillore added that SSS will now become very visible in their activities whenever their presence and expertise are needed as the department welcomes them to take part in their events, orientation, forums and other activities.

She hope what with this convergence with the SSS, other agencies, like the attached agencies of DOLE, will also follow suit in that they will also provide an opportunity to the contract of service and job order personnel under their employ to be enrolled with and covered by the SSS. — LPM (FREEMAN)