Diokno says SSS executives should find ways to increase the collection efficiency to fund the pension hike rather than passing the buck to Duterte
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno found it unfair to use the taxpayers’ money to fund and subsidize the P2 thousand pension increase for Social Security System (SSS) pensioners.
According to Diokno, the current set-up is the SSS members would contribute while they are employed and when they retired, they get the benefits as pensioners.
“So given that perspective, I do not think it is fair to say use the taxpayers’ money to subsidize the benefits of the pension members, the SSS members, right?”, the DBM Secretary told the reporters in a press briefing held at the Malacañang Palace on January 3, Tuesday.
The militant lawmakers have earlier urged President Rodrigo Duterte to ink a congressional resolution for the pension hike, insisting that it would not lead to the bankruptcy of the SSS.
Bayan Muna, a militant but pro-administration group, suggested to Duterte to give the pension increase in two tranches, and called it “ridiculous” for the Cabinet secretaries to say that SSS would go bankrupt.
But Secretary Ben Diokno finds it “unfair” to pass the burden to President Duterte. The budget chief suggested, instead, that the SSS officials should find ways and means to increase the collection efficiency of the financial institution.
He said that the SSS has so many alternatives to increase their collection efficiency. He cited for example the many corporations who are indebted to the government financial institution, which the SSS can call on for them to pay.
Former President Benigno Simeon Aquino III faced the same problem as Duterte is right now. Aquino vetoed the proposed bill providing for an increase in the pension of retired SSS members and Secretary Diokno finds it unfair to give the current Chief Executive the same problem.
He added that it is unfair for the Philippine Congress to have passed the law, which former President Aquino had vetoed during his term.
Diokno believes that the measure should not have reached the desk of President Duterte, adding that the SSS Board of Trustees should have exercised leadership and have said “no” immediately and provided for the alternatives.
The P2 thousand pension hike for SSS members was one of the many promises of President Duterte when he was running for the Presidential post.