SSS expands membership coverage in govt agencies

Top photo shows (from left to right) HRMD Director of Pamantasan ng Cabuyao Mr. Arson S. Saclag, Pamantasan ng Cabuyao’s Vice President for Admin and Finance Dr. Corazon B. Rebong, Pamantasan ng Cabuyao President Dr. Charlmagne G. Lavina, Acting Head of SSS Luzon South I Division Engr. Edwin S. Igharas , and Acting Branch Head of SSS Calamba Branch April S. Baje during the MOA signing activity held at Pamantasan ng Cabuyao on September 01, 2023.

Bottom photo shows (from left to right) SSS Calamba Branch Corporate Executive Officer II Alona M. Legaspi, SSS Calamba Branch Acting Branch Head April S. Baje, Acting Head of SSS Luzon South I Division Engr. Edwin S. Igharas, DOLE-4A Regional Director Atty. Roy L. Buenafe, DOLE-4AOIC Chief -IMSD Alvin G. Landicho, and DOLE-4A Admin Officer V Katheryn S. Perez after the ceremonial signing held at DOLE-4A office on July 27, 2023.

September 23, 2023

2–3 minutes

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – The Social Security System (SSS) Calamba Branch forged partnerships with 11 regional government agencies to ensure the social security protection of 468 Job Order (JO) and Contract of Service (COS) workers under the KaSSSangga Collect Program.

From January to September 1, 2023, SSS has already signed Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) with the Departmentof the Interior and local Government-4A(DILG-4A), Department of Tradeand Industry-4A (DTI-4A), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-4A (OWWA-4A), Department of Labor and Employment-4A(DOLE-4A), Human Settlement Adjudication Commission-RAB IV-4A (HSAC-RAB 4A), Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development-4A(DHSUD-4A), Cabuyao Water District, Calamba Water District, Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation-4A-B(PCIC-4A-B), Department of Public Works and Highways-4A (DPWH-4A) and Pamantasan ng Cabuyao.

SSS Calamba Branch Head April Baje said that there are 11 participating agencies under the KaSSSangga Collect Program which already covered 588 JO and COS workers.

“Of the 588 workers, 570 of them were previously employed with an existing Social Security (SS) number while the remaining 18 are newly-registered members. We’re glad to assist them in reactivating their SSS membership through KaSSSangga Collect Program,” Baje saif.

Under the SSS Calamba branch jurisdiction, there are 16 National Government Agencies (NGAs) with 800 estimated number of JOs and COS workers.

Under the KaSSSangga Collect Program, JOs and COS workers shall be registered as self-employed members of the SSS. Meanwhile, the participating agencies shall be responsible on the collection and remittance of Social Security (SS) and Employees’ Compensation (EC) contributions of their COS and JO workers through salary deduction scheme. The regular remittance of contributions shall ensure JOs and COS workers’ eligibility to SS benefits such as sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, death, and funeral, including loan privileges such as salary and calamity loans. As self-employed SSS members, they are also entitled to receive EC benefits in case of work-related contingencies.

“SSS coverage is not only limited to JO or COS but also to regular employees who had previous contributions in SSS during their employment in the private sector. In fact, we also encouraged them to join the KaSSSangga Collect Program to activate their SSS membership as self-employed professionals and receive double compensation from SSS and GSIS in the future,” Baje concluded.

SSS Calamba Branch is still working on the coverage of about 168 JO/COS personnel of the three remaining National Government Agencies under its jurisdiction.