President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. pledged on Friday to give the Social Security System (SSS) his full support in order to ensure its effectiveness, particularly as the Philippines recovers from the pandemic and deals with the unintended consequences of the current global geopolitical situation, according to the Presidential News Desk.
During the SSS’s 65th anniversary celebration at the SSS Building in Quezon City, he was reported as saying, “As your President, I assure you that I commit myself to every initiative that will improve the efficiency and productivity of the SSS and thereby improve the lot and welfare of our people.”
“The SSS’ critical role in strengthening our country’s social protection is more crucial, now more than ever. With the country recovering from the pandemic, with the country trying to recover from the shocks that are coming from the geopolitical situation around the world, still I am truly excited to see more ways to which the SSS will bring its services closer to its members and make a positive impact in the communities that you serve.”
The President declared that he envisions a better and brighter future for the SSS’s members as well as for the entire country with a strong, stable, and secure SSS.
Additionally, he described a number of programs his administration has started at SSS during his talk.
The establishment of the Contribution Subsidy Provider Program, the flexible payment plan for farmers and fishermen, and the Contribution Penalty Condonation Program for business and household employers are some examples of these.
According to Marcos, these programs give both employees and employers a chance to pay their contributions, especially during the pandemic.
“So maganda nga itong naitulong natin sa kanila para naman gumaan na naman nang konti. And that is precisely the idea behind any insurance scheme,” he underlined.
“And that is exactly what SSS is supposed to do – provide the safety nets for our people, not only during crisis like the pandemic or pagka may giyera gaya ng sa Ukraine, kung hindi ‘yung pang-araw-araw, ‘yung pang-araw-araw na buhay ng ating mga private employees.”
At the same time, Marcos commended the winners of the SSS Balikat ng Bayan Awards for this year and encouraged them to keep up the good work.
He said because of their commitment, the SSS was able to successfully carry out its mandate thanks to the solid relationships that the organization built with its clients.
The chief executive also thanked SSS members for their dedication, labor, and efforts, which made the SSS a vital component of nation-building and a guarantee of the welfare of its members.
Through the Social Security Act of 1954, the SSS was established on September 1, 1957, to act as a government financial entity that offers social security protection to all Filipino workers.
Photo Credit: Facebook/BongbongMarcos