Officials who oversee the numerous barangays throughout the Philippine archipelago will have one less concern about their financial future after leaving government service.
The Social Security System (SSS) has announced it will extend memberships to barangay captains and councilors, ensuring that the village officials receive pensions upon retirement.
SSS President and Chief Executive Office Rolando Ledesma Macasaet bared the exciting news at the recent 2024 National Congress of the Liga ng Mga Barangay Sa Pilipinas where he was the guest speaker for the event.
“Imagine niyo po: Lahat kayo nagtatrabaho sa gobyerno. After 10-20 years po, pag-retire ninyo, wala kayong matanggap kahit singko. Wala kayong separation benefit. Wala kayong pension,” CEO Macasaet told his audience.
President Macasaet said: “Imagine ninyo: Kayo, pag-retire ninyo, mahina na ang tuhod, mahina na yung mata. Wala kayong matatanggap. Yung mga anak ninyo, may mga pamilya na. Wala kayo mahingan ng pera.”
CEO Macasaet had been considering ways for the SSS to provide assistance to barangay officials as he expressed his gladness that Speaker Martin Romualdez shared the same sentiments during one of their meetings.
Together, CEO Macasaet and Speaker Romualdez formulated a plan to provide SSS memberships to barangay captains and councilors, providing the LGU officials with security after retirement.
While government officials receive compulsory membership in the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), they don’t automatically get SSS membership. Instead, they need to voluntarily enroll themselves in the SSS pension plan and make separate monthly contributions.
“Kaya po si Speaker, inayos niya. Imi-miyembro niya kayo ng SSS. So, for the first payment po-palakpakan po natin, Speaker Martin Romualdez po. Sisiguraduhin niya na magkakapensyon po kayo,” CEO Macasaet said.
To show that Macasaet is serious with making barangay officials future pensioners, the SSS set up 50 computers at the event’s venue, the World Trade Center (WTC) in Pasay City, where the attendees were able apply for membership and receive their SSS number upon completing the process.
“Mag-miyembro po kayo, nagmamakaawa po ako. I am beseeching you. I am urging you to register po sa labas. Kumuha po kayo ng SSS numbers ninyo. Pagkatapos po, aayusin na lang po ang detalye po sa pinaka-efficient na mga officers ninyo sa Liga ng mga Barangay,” CEO Macasaet urged the barangay chairmen and kagawad present.
Also in attendance was Congressman Inno Dy, who together with Speaker Romualdez recently co-filed a bill that ensured new members will have enough time to comply with the required numbers of contributions. CEO Macasaet thanked Congressman Dy for his contributions.
“Importante po, kahit paputol-putol–alam ko, iba sa inyo, miyembro na ng SSS. Alam ko na may putol-putol ang bayad. Okay lang iyon. Ituloy ninyo ang bayad na iyon. Basta umabot lang kayo ng 120 payments and may pension na po kayo for life,” CEO Macasaet pointed out.
CEO Macasaet also tackled the issue of unpaid loans by barangay officials who are already SSS members. He recommended applying for the Conso Loan program that consolidates and condones delinquent loans.
“So, yung mga may utang –at alam ko rin mayroon sa inyong may utang at hindi nagbabayad; sigurado po ako noon–, pumunta lang po kayo sa SSS, mag-apply po kayo ng Conso Loan, at ipakita niyo ang ID niyo na barangay kapitan kayo o barangay kagawad kayo. Iwa-waive ko ang lahat ng penalties,” the SSS President said.
Macasaet added: “Wala kayong penalty. Utos ni Speaker Romualdez iyon. So, tatanggalin ko lahat yung penalty at yung balanse, pwede niyong bayaran over the next 5 years. Para maliit lang. Para pag-retire ninyo, malaki ang pension ninyo. Kasi po, kapag may utang kayo, ibabawas naming iyon. Kaya yung may mga utang po sa SSS na miyembro na dati, magbayad po kayo. Iyon ang advice ko.”
At the end of his speech, CEO Macasaet encouraged barangay officials to apply for SSS membership as early as possible.
As long as the barangay captain or councilor was less than 60 years old and completes the mandatory 120 monthly contributions, they could get benefits upon retirement.
“Kasi po, tatanda po tayo lahat. So, I’m sure yung mga 40s, 50s, iniisip niyo na iyon. After 6 years po, e, baka yung iba sa inyo magreretiro na. Pwede pa rin ho basta less than 60 years old mag-miyembro po kayo,” CEO Macasaet said.
