Concerns over long-delayed and inaccurate benefit payments took center stage on Friday as Kamanggagawa party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando criticized the Social Security System (SSS) for releasing P333 million in so-called “prestige awards” to thousands of its officials.
San Fernando said the distribution of monetary rewards to 6,525 SSS officials stood in sharp contrast to the difficulties faced by members who continue to experience late, incomplete, or erroneous benefit releases. “Mahigpit sa manggagawa, pero maluwag sa sarili,” he said, branding the payouts a “shameless double standard.”
He questioned how the state-run pension fund could justify granting P50,000 awards to officials while contributors endure service backlogs. “Buwan-buwan may kaltas sa sahod ng mga manggagawa. Pero saan napupunta? Sa P50,000 na ‘prestige award’ ng libu-libong opisyal, habang delayed, mali-mali, o kulang-kulang ang benepisyong ibinibigay sa mismong nagbabayad?” San Fernando said.
The lawmaker argued that SSS lacked the moral authority to issue incentives while falling short of its basic mandate to deliver timely and accurate benefits to workers whose regular contributions sustain the fund.
Citing government rules on the PRAISE program, San Fernando said performance-based incentives must be backed by documented cost savings or proof of exceptional work. He noted that findings by the Commission on Audit (COA) showed SSS failed to meet these conditions, raising doubts about the legality and propriety of the awards.
COA also identified operational shortcomings, including almost P300 million in accounts payable lacking complete documentation, unresolved excess payments to members, and P209 million in delayed benefit releases. Some of these unpaid benefits reportedly dated back as far as 18 years and affected more than 137,000 workers.
“Kahit pa sabihin natin na merong savings itong SSS, bakit niya gagastusin o ilalagay ’yung pera nating mga manggagawa, nating mga contributors, para ipamigay sa mga opisyal nito?” San Fernando said.
He further criticized what he described as uneven accountability within the agency. “Pag mamumudmod ng bonus at incentives sa mga opisyal ng SSS, napakabilis. Pero kapag manggagawa ang kukuha ng serbisyo, napakakupad! Ganun na ba ang kalakaran dito sa SSS?” he added.
San Fernando also raised concerns over penalties imposed on members while delays on the agency’s side go unpunished. “Kapag late ka nagbayad ng SSS loan, merong multa, merong penalty. Pero kapag SSS ang late na nagbayad sa mga contributors, wala man lang accountability! Tama ba ’yun?” he said.
Beyond benefit issues, the lawmaker questioned SSS’s reported P13-million expenditure on tissue paper, citing COA findings that the purchase exceeded the agency’s needs. “Ayon mismo sa report ng Commission on Audit, sobra-sobra ito sa pangangailangan ng SSS. Wala pang storage at verbal lang ang naging kasunduan sa pinagbilhan ng mga tissue paper na ’to. Halos buong Pilipinas na ang pwede nilang pahiran sa dami ng tissue na tinambak nila!” San Fernando said.
He said the issues highlighted the need for sweeping reforms within the pension fund. “Pinagkakatiwala ng manggagawa ang kanilang kinabukasan sa SSS. Panahon na upang i-reporma ang SSS at patunayan nitong karapat-dapat ito sa tiwalang iyon,” San Fernando said.
