March 29, 2024

The Social Security Service has urged employers who failed to remit contributions for their employees to avail of the various reliefs offered by the agency to settle their obligations.

SSS Vice President for Operations Legal Services Division Renato Cuisia said all businesses and associations that have incurred delinquencies may avail of the Pandemic Relief and Restructuring Program or enhanced installment payment program (PRRP 3).

Other relief options are contribution penalty condonation, delinquency management, and restructuring program.    

This as the SSS conducted on Oct. 19 the Run after Contribution Evaders or RACE program in Benguet where a total of eight employers from Baguio City and La Trinidad were given written orders to settle their delinquencies.

Of the eight employers, two did not register their businesses to SSS; one was not able to produce SSS records or documents for inspection; and five have delinquencies amounting to more than P989,000.  

SSS Baguio City Branch Head Nancy Umuso said of the four erring employers in Baguio, three are due to non-registration while the other is the non-production of records. They are all operating restaurants.

Umuso said non-registration is when employers operated their businesses without registering their employees to SSS.

Non-production of records is when employers used to pay their obligations but failed to update their records and remit in the subsequent months. 

Cuisia said the RACE program is a promotional campaign to generate and increase awareness on employer obligations and to improve on collection efficiency and enhance the level of compliance among employers.

“We’re not here to harass, subject them to embarrassment, ridicule, or for their destruction.We are here to help them out to provide all these relief, such as pandemic relief that we are offering. By doing that, we can rehabilitate them so they could be regular in their contribution,” Cuisia said.

He acknowledged many employers were not spared from natural calamities, emergencies, flood, earthquakes, fire and the ongoing economic crisis, which are all business hazards. 

Cuisio said the employers will have an option to pay their delinquencies minus the incurred penalties through one-time payment or monthly installment, depending on the amount of obligation. SSS Senior Vice President of Luzon Operations Group Atty. Antonio Angabioso said the agency offers installment with the maximum period of four years to erring employers. Employers also have the option to pay through estate property or a combination of property and financial payment. – Ofelia C. Empian