In support to this year’s Labor Day Celebration, the Social Security System (SSS) Visayas West 1 Division participated in the simultaneous conduct of Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) Campaign in 162 SSS branches nationwide last 28 April 2023.
SSS Vice President for Visayas West 1 Division Dr. Lilani Benedian led the issuance of written notices to nine employers under the jurisdiction of Bacolod, Bacolod -East and Bago branches due to nonremittance of contributions with total delinquency of P13.76 million worth of delinquency, affecting 769 employees.
“It is of utmost importance that we give priority to the nation’s workforce especially now that we are about to celebrate Labor Day on May 1. These employee-members are the system’s number one stakeholders and the driving force of our economy, and they deserve an adequate safety net in times of contingencies,” Benedian said.
Benedian also emphasized the importance of employers’ full compliance to Republic Act 11199 otherwise known as the Social Security Act of 2018 on their workers’ eligibility to Social Security (SS) and Employees’ Compensation (EC) benefits.
SS benefits include sickness, maternity, disability, unemployment, retirement, death, and funeral. Employed members are also entitled to receive sickness, disability, or death benefit under the EC Program for work-related contingencies.
SSS offers contribution penalty condonation program to delinquent business owners with flexible payment terms-either one-time or installment terms up to 48 months, depending on the delinquency amount.
“Employers may coordinate with the SSS branch having jurisdiction of their accounts. We urge all of them to comply the soonest possible time. Otherwise, we will be compelled to take legal action. Apart from our humanitarian consideration to these employers due to the economic impact of the pandemic, it is our mandate to provide meaningful protection to all members and their beneficiaries,” Benedian concluded.
The Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) is a nationwide campaign of the SSS which aims to intensify employer compliance and increase collection efficiency by conducting personal visits to employers and assisting them on their delinquency settlement through availment of the condonation program.
In 2022, SSS Visayas West 1 conducted 12 RACE operations with recorded collection of Php14,260,795.65 as of March 2023, which benefitted over 1,037 employees.
