TABUK CITY, Kalinga – The Social Security System-Tuguegarao ramped up its enforcement of SSS contribution remittance of business establishments in Tabuk City during its RACE (Run After Contribution Evaders) campaign on March 25.
In the first RACE activity in the city, nine establishments were issued an order to settle the unremitted or delinquent SSS contribution affecting 53 employees with a total delinquency of around 3.2M pesos. Two establishments tendered partial payment while one opted to pay in full.
Guadalupe D. Castillo, Branch Head of SSS-Tuguegarao said that the RACE campaign aims to remind delinquent employers to comply with the Social Security Law that requires them to register and pay the SSS contribution of their employees.
“That is why sa program na ‘to vini-visit namin yung mga delinquent employers to remind them na dapat mag-comply sila sa SSS law, magreport sila ng employees nila and also to deduct and remit their contribution base on their actual salary,” she said.
Atty. Arjay Manauis of the SSS legal division, North Luzon 2, said that to assist employers in complying with the payment of their employees’ unremitted or delinquent SSS contribution, the agency is offering the Contribution Penalty Condonation and Restructuring Program (CPCR-P) which will condone the penalty of unpaid contributions during the pandemic from March 2020 to March 2022 with the option to pay the remaining amount in installment.
“In lieu of the penalty, co-computan ka lang (employers) ng 6 percent legal interest for the whole year doon sa assessment na ibibigay sa iyo o contribution na hindi mo pa nababayaran,” he said.
Councilor Ivan Bagayao during the courtesy call of the RACE team to the LGU lauded the initiative of the SSS as it will appraise employees of their benefits under the SSS.
“Yung mga employees naman will reap the benefits o kaya naman ma-realize nila na yung contribution na yan, given the assistance of the employer, if they will apply for the benefit granted by the SSS na maternity, sickness benefit, disability,” he said.
Castillo underscored that the SSS sees the employers as partners in providing social security to the workers and it has developed programs to entice employers to pay on time and avoid penalties.
“Katulong nila ang SSS to provide social security and at the same meron naman tayong mga programs para mas ma-entice silang to pay on time to avoid penalties at mabigyan talaga ng benipisyo yung mga workers,” she said.
The SSS plans to pursue other erring employers with a second round of RACE activity slated in June. By Tabuk PIO