GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 27 June) – The Social Security System (SSS) has listed at least 40 delinquent employers in Region 12 (Socsksargen) and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) that failed to remit on time their workers’ contributions, causing a backlog of P37-M of unremitted contributions and penalties.
Redentor Viola, SSS vice president for Mindanao South II division, did not name the erring employers but said these are from the food business, hardware, printing shops, schools, hotels, and even optical clinics.
“The offending employers were given two weeks to settle and comply or face possible closure” of their businesses if they continue to ignore their obligation in remitting the insurance premiums of their employees, he said.
According to Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018, the non-remittance of SSS contributions is a serious offense. The non-remittance of SSS contributions and not registering the actual number of employees to the SSS by employers violate are penalized with hefty fines and imprisonment from six to 12 years.
The law also provides that employers who deduct the employee’s monthly contribution or loan amortizations from the employees’ compensation but fail to remit the deduction to the SSS within 30 days from the date they become due, “shall be presume to have misappropriated such contributions or loan amortizations and shall suffer the penalties provided in Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code” or estafa.
Viola said the campaign called RACE or Run After Contribution Evaders, reminds employers about the law. It is aimed at employers with less than 100 employees or businesses considered as micro and small enterprises.
He said business owners can easily remit insurance premiums or enrol their employees with SSS via online.
Viola said the non-remittance of SSS contributions by business owners or failure to enrol their employees deprives the workers of their lawful benefits.
He encouraged SSS members to regularly check their contributions if these have been remitted on time via their MySSS online account.
Workers with updated premiums enjoy permanent disability benefits, sickness benefits, unemployment insurance or involuntary separation benefits, maternity leave, retirement, and funeral and death claims.
SSS personnel have been visiting business establishments since last week to personally see if employers have enroled their workers to SSS and if they have been promptly remitting their workers’ insurance premiums.
During the inspection visits, Noel Nacion, communications officer of SSS South Mindanao 2 division, said on Wednesday that they found dozens of delinquent employers in the five SSS branches in the cities of Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan, General Santos and Cotabato.
The SSS South Mindanao 2 Division covers Socsksargen region and the BARMM. (Rommel G. Rebollido / MindaNews)
