MANILA, Philippines — State-run Social Security System (SSS) has collected more than P30.5 million in contribution delinquencies from 71 employers following the state pension fund’s intensified enforcement activities this year.
In a statement, SSS president and chief executive officer Aurora Ignacio said the employers settled their delinquencies after being served with preliminary and final assessment notices of their obligations.
“This is only an initial collection as we have identified 93 other employers with combined contribution delinquencies amounting to nearly P200 million,” Ignacio said.
Serving assessment notices is part of the initial procedure under the SSS’ Warrants of Distraint, Levy, and Garnishment (WDLG) program.
The notices are given to delinquent or non-compliant employers, giving them the option to either settle their delinquencies, avail of an installment payment scheme, or file a request for reconsideration or reconciliation.
The SSS said failure to avail of any of the said methods would lead to the issuance of WDLG, which would enable the state fund to seize the properties and garnish bank accounts of delinquent employers with unsettled contributions.
Currently, SSS said there are two employers with total delinquencies amounting to over P2.91 million who are set for warrant execution.
The pension fund is in coordination with the Land Registration Authority, Land Transportation Office, and various banks to ensure the compliance of the said employers.
“The SSS has given the employers the opportunity to fulfill their obligations under the Social Security Act of 2018, especially through offering a Contribution Penalty Condonation Program (CPCP) for six months starting last March until September this year, but they still failed to comply,” Ignacio said.
Including these two, the SSS said 13 delinquent employers have been referred to the SSS’ Employer Delinquency Monitoring Department for WDLG since April 2018.
The state fund said one of the 11 other employers paid through the garnishment of bank account, one has levied properties for public auction, one has encumbered properties, while eight have availed of the CPCP.
The SSS has initially collected over P3.06 million from them, excluding installment payments from the CPCP.
“We would like to remind non-compliant employers to obey the law and remit religiously the SSS contributions of their employees. This is your obligation not only under the law but also show your empathy to your employees who have been your partners in business. Give them the social safety net they deserve,” Ignacio said.
Aside from the warrant or seizure of properties, the SSS also conducts its Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) campaign and Tokhang against delinquent employers with issued warrants of arrest from courts.
As of October 2019, the SSS, in partnership with the Philippine National Police, has conducted 14 execution of warrants of arrest and 29 RACE operations nationwide.