SSS Expands Coverage to Over Half a Million Temporary Government Workers
In a landmark move, the Social Security System (SSS) has broadened its coverage to include over half a million temporary government workers who were previously outside the protective umbrella of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). This initiative, spearheaded by SSS President and Chief Operating Officer Rolando Ledesma Macasaet, aims to extend social security benefits to job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers, enhancing their financial security.
Executive Vice President for Branch Operations Sector, Voltaire P. Agas, emphasized that the inclusion of these workers not only strengthens the financial foundation of the state pension fund but also advances the SSS’s mission to provide comprehensive social security to a wider Filipino population.
The KaSSSangga Collect Program, conceived by Macasaet, is the mechanism through which temporary government employees will be registered as self-employed members. Their respective organizations are tasked with the collection and remittance of contributions, thus ensuring their eligibility for Social Security and Employees’ Compensation benefits.
A significant partnership under this program was formed with the Quezon City District 2 of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), covering over 200 JO and COS workers, predominantly street sweepers. The largest membership boost was observed in Quezon City, where approximately 15,000 JOs were added following an agreement between SSS PCEO Macasaet and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on January 29, 2024.
Agas highlighted the urgency of providing social security protection to these workers, particularly due to the health risks associated with their roles. He also noted the growing number of government agencies joining the KaSSSangga Collect Program, with 32 institutions in the National Capital Region and 74 additional partners from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao signing up in January 2024 alone.
The SSS’s efforts have been fruitful, with over P7.08 billion in worker contributions collected from 2015 to 2023. Agas commended the proactive participation of government partners in ensuring social safety nets for their JO and COS workers and encouraged further collaboration to subsidize monthly SSS contributions, fostering a culture of shared investment in the future of government workers.
This expansion of coverage is a testament to the SSS’s commitment to inclusivity and its pivotal role in fortifying the social security framework for all Filipinos.