By Rey Anthony Chiu | 02:54 PM April 01, 2023
At least 14 municipal governments and one barangay in Bohol have bravely innovated, their local treasuries accommodating for an extra task: collecting and remitting social security contributions of their casual workers and providing coverage for the blood of their operations.
The authorities in the municipalities of Ubay, San Miguel, Maribojoc, Calape, Loboc, Danao, Alicia, Mabini, Dimiao, Duero, Catigbian, Baclayon, Lila and Batuan as well as Barangay del Carmen Weste in Balilihan have signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Social Security System (SSS), according to SSS Bohol Assistant Head, Dioscoro Madanguit.
The MOA is for the social security coverage of their casual workers whether in job order, plantilla, or working as Contract of Service providers positions to be enrolled in the government social security agency for workers in the private sector.
Madanguit shared the information that same day the SSS Relief Afforded to Challenged Employers (RACE) Team called on Tubigon mayor William Jao and Vice mayor Rene Villaber to implement RACE and also to campaign for the enrolment of the town’s 600+ casual workers in the SSS.
Negotiations are now ongoing for Tubigon, while Bohol Provincial Government legislators are also paving the way for SSS coverage to their thousands of casual, contractual and job order workers.
Earlier, Board Member Tomas D. Abapo, Jr., manifesting his concern to help alleviate the plight of PGBH workers who could not be enrolled under the Government Service Insurance System.
He also said that the opened service could also help those permanent employees who have been previous members of the SSS, as they can opt to continue their membership to enjoy sickness benefits, maternity benefits, disability benefits, salary loan, retirement benefits, death benefits, funeral benefits, unemployment benefits and automatic members to the Employees Compensation Program.
Officer-In-Charge of the Provincial Human Resources Development Office, May Limbaga, OIC said that casuals whether Job Order, Job Order Plantilla, and Contract of Service are personnel working for the difference offices and serving Boholanos but without a formal employer-employee relations and can not enjoy the benefits afforded to permanent employees.
But, Madanguit who was invited during the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Committee on personnel said that the SSS has seen hope for these workers via the partnership of the SSS and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
The partnership on expanded self0employed coverage program expressed in DILG Memo Circular 2014-83 has established a way where these employees can have protection against the hazard of disability, sickness, maternity, old age, and other contingencies.
The program however is not mandatory but casual workers not covered by the GSIS Law can be registered in the SSS under the SSS self-employed members.
Here, a Memorandum of Agreement is required between the Local Government Unit and the Social Security System. The same MOA which the 14 towns have registered for their workers.
The MOA is for the workers to be protected while employed in the LGU and to authorize the LGU to collect and remit their SSS contributions.
The Capitol is expected to start a series of consultations to determine the worker’s pulse on the matter and for the Provincial Legal Office to revisit the local government code to see if it is still within the purview of the governor to enter into the mulled MOA with the SSS. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)