Senator Risa Hontiveros urged on Wednesday, Jan. 15 the Social Security System (SSS) to defer the implementation of the contribution hike as she noted that this would further deplete workers’ wages.

Hontiveros issued the call in Senate Resolution (HR) No. 1269, wherein she proposed a Senate investigation into the SSS contribution hike.

She said the salaries of Filipino workers have not kept up with the rising prices of goods.

“Habang pababa ng pababa ang halaga ng kinikita ng ating mga kababayan nitong mga nakaraang taon, pataas ng pataas naman ang investment earnings ng SSS. Saan naman nila dadalhin itong super tubo na ‘to? Baka magulat na lang tayo at ilagay nila ‘yan sa Maharlika Fund (While the income of our fellow citizens has been decreasing over the past few years, the investment earnings of the SSS have been on the rise. Where will they allocate this significant profit? We might be surprised to find out that they will put it into the Maharlika Fund),” Hontiveros said.

She continued, “Pumalo na sa P100 billion ang net income ng SSS noong 2024, dumami pa ang contributors nang halos 30 percent, at lumawig pa nga ang fund life nito hanggang 2053. Obvious naman na kayang-kaya ng SSS na huwag munang mangolekta ng increase (The net income of the SSS reached P100 billion in 2024, with the number of contributors increasing by nearly 30 percent, and its fund life has even been extended until 2053. It is clear that the SSS can afford to postpone any increases in contributions for now).”

Hontiveros warned that implementing the increase this year could worsen the financial burden of ordinary wage earners and certain segments of the middle class.

“Halos wala pa ring ipon ang ilan sa ating mga kababayan dahil sa pandemya at nabawasan pa nga ang halaga ng kanilang kinikita dahil sa inflation. Huwag na muna sanang bawasan ng SSS ang kanilang take-home pay na maliit na nga, mas liliit pa dahil sa contribution hike (Many of our countrymen still have little to no savings due to the pandemic, and their earnings have further decreased because of inflation. The SSS should not reduce their already small take-home pay, which will shrink even more because of the contribution hike),” Hontiveros said.

She added, “Inaprubahan ang contribution hike noong 2018 pa, kung kailan wala pa sa isipan nating magkakaroon ng pandemic na hanggang ngayon damang-dama pa rin ng ilan sa atin ang epekto, lalo na pagdating sa ating mga bulsa (The contribution increase was approved back in 2018, at a time when none of us had any thought that a pandemic would occur, the effects of which many of us are still feeling today, especially when it comes to our finances).”

Hontiveros said further study of the SSS contribution hike must be undertaken to balance the interests of ordinary workers and the actuarial life of the state insurer.

“Huwag muna nating ipatupad ang SSS contribution hike habang pinag-aaralan natin ito ulit. Manatili sanang salbabida ang SSS sa mga panahon ng pangangailangan, imbes na lalo pang magpalubog sa mga miyembro nito (Let's not implement the SSS contribution hike for now while we re-evaluate this. The SSS should remain a lifeline during times of need, rather than putting its members in a deeper bind),” she said.