A member of the minority bloc in the House of Representatives has renewed his call for a full congressional investigation into the Social Security System (SSS), warning that the institution meant to protect workers has instead become a source of stress, financial burden, and hardship for millions of contributors.
In his privilege speech on Monday, Kamanggagawa Partylist Rep. Elijah San Fernando said the original promise of social security: economic security in times of sickness, unemployment, disability, and old age, has been steadily eroded by poor administration, excessive bureaucracy, and misplaced priorities.
“Social security is supposed to be a safety net,” San Fernando said. “But for many Filipino workers today, SSS feels more like an insurance company that is difficult to deal with, quick to collect contributions, and painfully slow when workers finally need help,” said San Fernando.
He announced that the Kamanggagawa Partylist will file a resolution later this week seeking a comprehensive review of RA 11199, or the Social Security Act of 2018, and an inquiry into systemic issues confronting SSS members.
The neophyte lawmaker made the statement as he is poised to file a resolution on the matter.
San Fernando said the growing number of complaints from workers reflects a system that is harsh on contributors but indulgent toward its own officials.
“Recently, COA flagged 333 million pesos of employee bonuses not backed up by sufficient justification,” San Fernando said. “In 2022, the salaries of executives doubled while the institution failed to collect 92 billion pesos from employers.”
For San Fernando, the contrast is stark and indefensible.
“This is what is done with the pooled money of private sector workers — it is distributed to executives and board members while we almost kneel and squat just to get the benefits that also come from our sweat,” he said. “Where is social security? The only certain security is the SSS officers,” San Fernando said in Filipino.
