Protest rally staged vs SSS premium hike

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Members of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) led other progressive groups in a protest rally staged in front of the Social Security System (SSS) office in this city to oppose the planned agency's premium increase.

Elmer Forro, spokesperson of KMU-Panay, President Benigno Aquino III called for an increase in contribution of SSS members, even if the agency has been collecting bigger premiums and earning more in the process.

From 10.4 percent contribution every month by the members, Aquino still wanted to increase it to 11 percent to prevent SSS from being buried in debt, but then the agency said the added contribution will be used to improve services instead of raising the members' benefits.

Forro said the SSS already has P344 billion last year and has been earning more than P20 billion every year. This alone could enable the agency to improve its services without hiking the premium rates, he said.

SSS has no right to be buried in debt and that the management is only threatening its members to justify the premium hike, said Forro.

Meanwhile, the SSS management said it will implement the increase of premium this July.  (FREEMAN)