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SC urged to issue TRO vs Philhealth premium rate hike
March 18, 2014
“The hike in Philhealth contributions came at a very opportune time when the Commission on Audit reported that in 2012, Philhealth issued some P1.5 billion in bonuses and allowances to its top officials and employees.”
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Migrants group Migrante International and United Filipinos in Hongkong filed a petition before the Supreme Court asking for a temporary restraining order on the 160 percent Philhealth rate hike being imposed on overseas Filipino workers.
“We are angered by this most recent imposition especially in the light of the continuous spate of price hikes and state exactions on OFWs and on the Filipino people. This is another form of ‘kotong’(extortion) being imposed on OFWs without proper consultation with the sector and other stakeholders,” Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Sectoral Party, said.
Last March 14, 2014, a picket was held simultaneously with the filing of the petition. Former overseas Filipino workers and their families who joined the protest called the Philhealth rate hike as “Phildeath: Your partner in death,” mocking its original tagline “your partner in health.”
Philhealth originally intended to hike its premium rates to P2,400 back in 2012 through Circular No. 007 series of 2012. This, however, was met with protests, forcing Philhealth to defer its implementation and eventually reduce the increased rates to P1,200 instead.
A year later, Philhealth imposed another 100 percent rate increase from P1,200 to P2,400 through its Circular No. 0025 series of 2013.
Both of the said increases in the Philhealth premium rate, according to Migrante International, have no legal basis.
The petition filed by the migrants groups would supplement the one filed by labor groups Kilusang Mayo Uno and the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights last January.
Illegal
In the petition, migrant groups said the increase in Philhealth premium rates violates two existing laws. First it is a violation of Republic Act No. 8042 as amended by RA 10022 or the Migrants Act of 1995, which prohibits increases in government-imposed fees on Filipinos leaving to work abroad. Second, it violates Republic Act No. 10606 or the National Health Insurance Act of 1995, which stipulates that the contribution schedule shall be the determined by Philhealth on the basis, among others of “applicable actuarial studies.”
Section 28 states: “All members who can afford to pay shall contribute to the Fund, in accordance with a reasonable, equitable and progressive contribution schedule to be determined by the Corporation on the basis of applicable actuarial studies…”
“In other words, there must be an actuarial study supporting such increase in contributions. Unfortunately, the said circular does not mention anything about an actuarial study being conducted to serve as basis for the decision to increase Philhealth contributions,” the petition stipulated.
Petitioners also noted that the increase in mandatory contributions is not reasonable, equitable or progressive, as stipulated in the law.
“A justification given by Philhealth is that it will entitle Philhealth members to in-patient hospital care, out-patient coverage and other special benefit packages under the National Health Insurance Program,” the petition read.
“Yet, a look at the records of Philhealth will show that it can attain these objectives without adopting the drastic increase in its contribution schedules,” the petition added.
The petition further added that the increase violates Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, which states that, “Upon approval of this act, all fees being charged by any government office on migrant workers shall remain at their present levels and the repatriation bond shall be abolished.”
Marred with issues
Petitioners said the hike in Philhealth contributions came at a “very opportune time when the Commission on Audit reported that in 2012, Philhealth issued some P1.5 billion in bonuses and allowances to its top officials and employees.”
These bonuses and allowances include: productivity incentive allowance, anniversary bonus, Christmas package, representation expenses, birthday gift, corporate transition and achievement premium, among others.
“The Board of Directors of Philhealth, for instance, awarded a bonus of P1.2 million to themselves in 2012,” the petition read, adding that “Philhealth had extended hefty bonuses to its contractors. It hired contractors and gave them a total of P6,506,803 as bonuses and gifts like project completion benefits, Christmas package, and special events gifts.”
Members of Philhealth, according to petitioners, have to “wait in long lines, at least for several weeks, to avail themselves of modest benefits from the program. Local members receive a measly refund with Philhealth paying only an estimated 30 percent of the member’s hospital expenses.”
“This only shows that if only respondent Philhealth would use its funds judiciously and would be less capricious in spending its funds, the need for contribution hikes from its members would be obviated,” the petition read.
No use
Petitioners, however, said Filipino migrant workers who contribute to Philhealth fund do not benefit from it as “there is hardly any Philhealth accredited hospital in foreign countries where they work.”
Arlene Castillo, 39, an overseas Filipino worker from 1996 to 2012, said she never benefited from Philhealth, not even her then 10-year-old son who got sick.
“They went to Philhealth to have his hospital expenses covered. But they were told that I was the only one they would cover,” she told Bulatlat.com.
“This is a mandatory collection and I never benefited from it. And when we are already here in the Philippines and are no longer working abroad, we still are not covered. This is just a way to milk money from OFWs,” Castillo added.
Petitioners said the increase in Philhealth contributions would reduce the take home pay of Filipino migrant workers.
“The money, which OFWs can use to purchase food and finance other basic needs, are surely to suffer a reduction. This is ironic because under the 1987 Constitution, the State is supposed to protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare,” the petition read.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Migrants group Migrante International and United Filipinos in Hongkong filed a petition before the Supreme Court asking for a temporary restraining order on the 160 percent Philhealth rate hike being imposed on overseas Filipino workers.
“We are angered by this most recent imposition especially in the light of the continuous spate of price hikes and state exactions on OFWs and on the Filipino people. This is another form of ‘kotong’(extortion) being imposed on OFWs without proper consultation with the sector and other stakeholders,” Connie Bragas-Regalado, chairperson of Migrante Sectoral Party, said.
Last March 14, 2014, a picket was held simultaneously with the filing of the petition. Former overseas Filipino workers and their families who joined the protest called the Philhealth rate hike as “Phildeath: Your partner in death,” mocking its original tagline “your partner in health.”
Philhealth originally intended to hike its premium rates to P2,400 back in 2012 through Circular No. 007 series of 2012. This, however, was met with protests, forcing Philhealth to defer its implementation and eventually reduce the increased rates to P1,200 instead.
A year later, Philhealth imposed another 100 percent rate increase from P1,200 to P2,400 through its Circular No. 0025 series of 2013.
Both of the said increases in the Philhealth premium rate, according to Migrante International, have no legal basis.
The petition filed by the migrants groups would supplement the one filed by labor groups Kilusang Mayo Uno and the Center for Trade Union and Human Rights last January.
Illegal
In the petition, migrant groups said the increase in Philhealth premium rates violates two existing laws. First it is a violation of Republic Act No. 8042 as amended by RA 10022 or the Migrants Act of 1995, which prohibits increases in government-imposed fees on Filipinos leaving to work abroad. Second, it violates Republic Act No. 10606 or the National Health Insurance Act of 1995, which stipulates that the contribution schedule shall be the determined by Philhealth on the basis, among others of “applicable actuarial studies.”
Section 28 states: “All members who can afford to pay shall contribute to the Fund, in accordance with a reasonable, equitable and progressive contribution schedule to be determined by the Corporation on the basis of applicable actuarial studies…”
“In other words, there must be an actuarial study supporting such increase in contributions. Unfortunately, the said circular does not mention anything about an actuarial study being conducted to serve as basis for the decision to increase Philhealth contributions,” the petition stipulated.
Petitioners also noted that the increase in mandatory contributions is not reasonable, equitable or progressive, as stipulated in the law.
“A justification given by Philhealth is that it will entitle Philhealth members to in-patient hospital care, out-patient coverage and other special benefit packages under the National Health Insurance Program,” the petition read.
“Yet, a look at the records of Philhealth will show that it can attain these objectives without adopting the drastic increase in its contribution schedules,” the petition added.
The petition further added that the increase violates Republic Act 8042 or the Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995, which states that, “Upon approval of this act, all fees being charged by any government office on migrant workers shall remain at their present levels and the repatriation bond shall be abolished.”
Marred with issues
Petitioners said the hike in Philhealth contributions came at a “very opportune time when the Commission on Audit reported that in 2012, Philhealth issued some P1.5 billion in bonuses and allowances to its top officials and employees.”
These bonuses and allowances include: productivity incentive allowance, anniversary bonus, Christmas package, representation expenses, birthday gift, corporate transition and achievement premium, among others.
“The Board of Directors of Philhealth, for instance, awarded a bonus of P1.2 million to themselves in 2012,” the petition read, adding that “Philhealth had extended hefty bonuses to its contractors. It hired contractors and gave them a total of P6,506,803 as bonuses and gifts like project completion benefits, Christmas package, and special events gifts.”
Members of Philhealth, according to petitioners, have to “wait in long lines, at least for several weeks, to avail themselves of modest benefits from the program. Local members receive a measly refund with Philhealth paying only an estimated 30 percent of the member’s hospital expenses.”
“This only shows that if only respondent Philhealth would use its funds judiciously and would be less capricious in spending its funds, the need for contribution hikes from its members would be obviated,” the petition read.
No use
Petitioners, however, said Filipino migrant workers who contribute to Philhealth fund do not benefit from it as “there is hardly any Philhealth accredited hospital in foreign countries where they work.”
Arlene Castillo, 39, an overseas Filipino worker from 1996 to 2012, said she never benefited from Philhealth, not even her then 10-year-old son who got sick.
“They went to Philhealth to have his hospital expenses covered. But they were told that I was the only one they would cover,” she told Bulatlat.com.
“This is a mandatory collection and I never benefited from it. And when we are already here in the Philippines and are no longer working abroad, we still are not covered. This is just a way to milk money from OFWs,” Castillo added.
Petitioners said the increase in Philhealth contributions would reduce the take home pay of Filipino migrant workers.
“The money, which OFWs can use to purchase food and finance other basic needs, are surely to suffer a reduction. This is ironic because under the 1987 Constitution, the State is supposed to protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare,” the petition read.
Justice for abused Indonesian domestic worker in Hong Kong – migrants’ group
January 23, 2014
“The Philippines has its own share of such crimes against domestic workers.” – Migrante International
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Migrant groups are calling for justice for Indonesian domestic worker Erwiana Sulistyaningsih who was reportedly abused and maltreated allegedly by her employer, a Hong Kong national.
Migrante International said Erwiana’s case is “the latest most gruesome case depicting the suffering and plight of domestic workers, especially women domestic workers, and is a testament of how forced migration and labor export have become the worst cause and manifestation of all forms of abuse, oppression and exploitation of women all over the world.”
Erwiana, the migrants group added, is currently undergoing medical treatment in a hospital in Sragen, East Java, Indonesia.
“She has severe cellulitis on her feet and hands, her body has signs of trauma from having been hit with a blunt object, part of her brain is swollen, her eyesight cannot function well and her teeth are broken due to severe beatings by her Hong Kong national employer Lo Wan-tung,” Migrante International said in a statement.
Aside from Erwiana, another Indonesian domestic worker Susi filed a complaint against Lo, citing that her employer also beat her from April 2010 to March 2011.
In a related development, Lo was apprehended at the Immigration Department counter around 4 p.m. on Jan. 20. She was supposed to go to Thailand, the South China Morning Post reported.
Erwiana, for her part, was very happy, when she learned about the arrest of her former employer,the report added.
Migrant rights groups based in Hong Kong held protest actions to demand justice for Erwiana.
“It is not only an issue of her being an Indonesian, but her (Erwiana) being a migrant worker and a human being. We from the Philippines are also migrant workers. We know the feeling of being away from home and suffering,” Eman Villanueva of the Filipino Migrant Workers’ Union was quoted as saying in a GMANetwork.com report.
‘Feminization’ of labor migration
Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International, said more women are being driven to work abroad, which, he referred to as the feminization of labor migration. This has triggered a rise in number of gender-related violence committed against women workers who are mostly domestic workers and caregivers abroad.
“They suffer sexual discrimination and other gender-specific abuses, exploitation and violence in the vulnerable jobs available to them. This is especially the case for domestic workers,” Martinez said.
Martinez said women workers are “most vulnerable to abuse and often mistreated by employers.” The Philippines has its own share of such crimes against domestic workers, he added, citing the recent case of Terril Atienza, an overseas Filipino worker who died under mysterious circumstances in Mongolia.
“They are lowly-paid and do not enjoy social protection, are isolated and discriminated against and without legal recourse because their work is not considered as a job and not covered by any existing legal framework. Worse, their marginalization is implicitly condoned by States as principal agents peddling domestic workers like ordinary commodities without guarantee of protection or avenues for redress of grievance,” Martinez said.
Laud Erwiana
Erwiana will return to Hong Kong to testify against her former employers. Her father, Rohmad Saputro, was quoted in a South China Morning Post report saying, “Yes, definitely we will continue to press for a lawsuit. We wanted the government to protect Erwiana.”
Martinez said they “salute Erwiana and all abused migrant workers who are willing to rise up, take action and demand justice against abuse and modern-day slavery.”
“We enjoin all domestic workers like Erwiana to come forward. You have the support of Filipino migrant workers and their families here and abroad,” he added.
(Photos courtesy of Josie Patawaran / Bulatlat.com)
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Migrant groups are calling for justice for Indonesian domestic worker Erwiana Sulistyaningsih who was reportedly abused and maltreated allegedly by her employer, a Hong Kong national.
Migrante International said Erwiana’s case is “the latest most gruesome case depicting the suffering and plight of domestic workers, especially women domestic workers, and is a testament of how forced migration and labor export have become the worst cause and manifestation of all forms of abuse, oppression and exploitation of women all over the world.”
Erwiana, the migrants group added, is currently undergoing medical treatment in a hospital in Sragen, East Java, Indonesia.
“She has severe cellulitis on her feet and hands, her body has signs of trauma from having been hit with a blunt object, part of her brain is swollen, her eyesight cannot function well and her teeth are broken due to severe beatings by her Hong Kong national employer Lo Wan-tung,” Migrante International said in a statement.
Aside from Erwiana, another Indonesian domestic worker Susi filed a complaint against Lo, citing that her employer also beat her from April 2010 to March 2011.
In a related development, Lo was apprehended at the Immigration Department counter around 4 p.m. on Jan. 20. She was supposed to go to Thailand, the South China Morning Post reported.
Erwiana, for her part, was very happy, when she learned about the arrest of her former employer,the report added.
Migrant rights groups based in Hong Kong held protest actions to demand justice for Erwiana.
“It is not only an issue of her being an Indonesian, but her (Erwiana) being a migrant worker and a human being. We from the Philippines are also migrant workers. We know the feeling of being away from home and suffering,” Eman Villanueva of the Filipino Migrant Workers’ Union was quoted as saying in a GMANetwork.com report.
‘Feminization’ of labor migration
Garry Martinez, chairperson of Migrante International, said more women are being driven to work abroad, which, he referred to as the feminization of labor migration. This has triggered a rise in number of gender-related violence committed against women workers who are mostly domestic workers and caregivers abroad.
“They suffer sexual discrimination and other gender-specific abuses, exploitation and violence in the vulnerable jobs available to them. This is especially the case for domestic workers,” Martinez said.
Martinez said women workers are “most vulnerable to abuse and often mistreated by employers.” The Philippines has its own share of such crimes against domestic workers, he added, citing the recent case of Terril Atienza, an overseas Filipino worker who died under mysterious circumstances in Mongolia.
“They are lowly-paid and do not enjoy social protection, are isolated and discriminated against and without legal recourse because their work is not considered as a job and not covered by any existing legal framework. Worse, their marginalization is implicitly condoned by States as principal agents peddling domestic workers like ordinary commodities without guarantee of protection or avenues for redress of grievance,” Martinez said.
Laud Erwiana
Erwiana will return to Hong Kong to testify against her former employers. Her father, Rohmad Saputro, was quoted in a South China Morning Post report saying, “Yes, definitely we will continue to press for a lawsuit. We wanted the government to protect Erwiana.”
Martinez said they “salute Erwiana and all abused migrant workers who are willing to rise up, take action and demand justice against abuse and modern-day slavery.”
“We enjoin all domestic workers like Erwiana to come forward. You have the support of Filipino migrant workers and their families here and abroad,” he added.
(Photos courtesy of Josie Patawaran / Bulatlat.com)
‘The gov’t to hire foreign workers due to shortage? Are you on drugs? ‘- Migrante
January 17th, 2014
“Last year, the government deployed two million OFWs and professionals abroad, the biggest in history. So again, how can the DOLE stomach this absurdity?”
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Migrante International slammed the Department of Labor for its recent pronouncements that the government is hiring foreign workers due to a supposed “shortage of applicants.”
“It is simply so wrong on so many levels; we were rendered speechless for a second. There is a plethora of reasons why this move is untimely, if not downright delusional. That the DOLE even has the audacity to announce such a thing is absurd, atrocious and awfully insulting to millions of our Filipino workers and professionals here and abroad. Sec. Baldoz, President Noynoy, are you on drugs?” said Garry Martinez, Migrante International chairperson.
Baldoz, in media reports, said a study of the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics revealed that the country needs to “liberalize the labor market and allow foreign workers with the required skills so we can fill up those hard to fill occupations due to shortage.”
In a statement, Baldoz enumerated hard-to-fill profession as: architect, chemical engineer, chemist, environmental planner, fisheries technologist, geologist, guidance counselor, licensed librarian, medical technologist, sanitary engineer, computer numerical control machinist, assembly technician, test technician, pilot, aircraft mechanic.
Communications secretary Herminio Coloma, in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report, however, said the government is still studying proposals to hire foreign workers for the said hard-to-fill professions. Inviting foreign workers to work in the country, he added, would serve as “signal for our Filipino professionals abroad to return to the country to fill this gap.”
Martinez, however, said the country’s unemployment rate belies such claims. He said the labor market has long been liberalized due to the labor export policy.
“For the government to claim that we are now in a position to be at the receiving instead of the sending end of labor trade liberalization is preposterous considering the ridiculously high unemployment rate,” he added.
“According to the March 2013 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, the Philippines has a 27.2% unemployment rate or more than 11.1 million Filipinos ar jobless. This is a 3.7% increase from the unemployment rate recorded in the last quarter of 2012 and a far cry from the unemployment figures of our Asian neighbors Singapore (1.7%), Malaysia (3%), Korea (3%), China (4.1%), Taiwan (4.3%), Vietnam (4.4%) and Indonesia (6.5%),” Migrante International said in a statement.
Despite the seeming increase of jobs created in 2011 (1.4 million) and in 2012 (3.1 million), Martinez said, these reports failed to mention that the “jobs created were either short-term, contractual and highly disproportional to the ever-growing labor force.”
Those who have jobs also suffer from low wages, Martinez added.
“Worsening joblessness feeds on chronically low wages, with the current minimum wage grossly inadequate to sustain even the most humble of families. Family incomes are not keeping up with the inflation and continuous price hikes. No wonder more Filipinos now consider themselves poor,” Martinez said.
As a result, Migrante International said that “at least at least one-fourth of the country’s labor force has gone abroad to find work, while 64.3% of unemployed Filipinos were actively looking for jobs abroad,” as shown in the Labor Force Survey in January 2012.
“This figure can only be attributed to the Aquino government’s more aggressive labor export policy that thrives on the desperation of Filipino workers and professionals. Last year, the government deployed two million OFWs and professionals abroad, the biggest in history. So again, how can the DOLE stomach this absurdity? How can they say that there is a shortage of job applicants when it is the government itself that is forcing and peddling a huge number of our skilled workers to foreign shores?” Martinez said.
Martinez added, “what we genuinely need is national industrialization and genuine land reform, not policies such as these that are concocted out of grand illusions and delusions.”
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com
MANILA — Migrante International slammed the Department of Labor for its recent pronouncements that the government is hiring foreign workers due to a supposed “shortage of applicants.”
“It is simply so wrong on so many levels; we were rendered speechless for a second. There is a plethora of reasons why this move is untimely, if not downright delusional. That the DOLE even has the audacity to announce such a thing is absurd, atrocious and awfully insulting to millions of our Filipino workers and professionals here and abroad. Sec. Baldoz, President Noynoy, are you on drugs?” said Garry Martinez, Migrante International chairperson.
Baldoz, in media reports, said a study of the Bureau of Labor and Employment Statistics revealed that the country needs to “liberalize the labor market and allow foreign workers with the required skills so we can fill up those hard to fill occupations due to shortage.”
In a statement, Baldoz enumerated hard-to-fill profession as: architect, chemical engineer, chemist, environmental planner, fisheries technologist, geologist, guidance counselor, licensed librarian, medical technologist, sanitary engineer, computer numerical control machinist, assembly technician, test technician, pilot, aircraft mechanic.
Communications secretary Herminio Coloma, in a Philippine Daily Inquirer report, however, said the government is still studying proposals to hire foreign workers for the said hard-to-fill professions. Inviting foreign workers to work in the country, he added, would serve as “signal for our Filipino professionals abroad to return to the country to fill this gap.”
Martinez, however, said the country’s unemployment rate belies such claims. He said the labor market has long been liberalized due to the labor export policy.
“For the government to claim that we are now in a position to be at the receiving instead of the sending end of labor trade liberalization is preposterous considering the ridiculously high unemployment rate,” he added.
“According to the March 2013 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, the Philippines has a 27.2% unemployment rate or more than 11.1 million Filipinos ar jobless. This is a 3.7% increase from the unemployment rate recorded in the last quarter of 2012 and a far cry from the unemployment figures of our Asian neighbors Singapore (1.7%), Malaysia (3%), Korea (3%), China (4.1%), Taiwan (4.3%), Vietnam (4.4%) and Indonesia (6.5%),” Migrante International said in a statement.
Despite the seeming increase of jobs created in 2011 (1.4 million) and in 2012 (3.1 million), Martinez said, these reports failed to mention that the “jobs created were either short-term, contractual and highly disproportional to the ever-growing labor force.”
Those who have jobs also suffer from low wages, Martinez added.
“Worsening joblessness feeds on chronically low wages, with the current minimum wage grossly inadequate to sustain even the most humble of families. Family incomes are not keeping up with the inflation and continuous price hikes. No wonder more Filipinos now consider themselves poor,” Martinez said.
As a result, Migrante International said that “at least at least one-fourth of the country’s labor force has gone abroad to find work, while 64.3% of unemployed Filipinos were actively looking for jobs abroad,” as shown in the Labor Force Survey in January 2012.
“This figure can only be attributed to the Aquino government’s more aggressive labor export policy that thrives on the desperation of Filipino workers and professionals. Last year, the government deployed two million OFWs and professionals abroad, the biggest in history. So again, how can the DOLE stomach this absurdity? How can they say that there is a shortage of job applicants when it is the government itself that is forcing and peddling a huge number of our skilled workers to foreign shores?” Martinez said.
Martinez added, “what we genuinely need is national industrialization and genuine land reform, not policies such as these that are concocted out of grand illusions and delusions.”
Labor group seeks TRO on SSS premium hike
January 11, 2014
MANILA — National labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) filed a petition for Temporary Restraining Order Jan 10 against the 0.6-percent increase in Social Security System (SSS) members’ premium contributions. The questioned hike is set to take effect starting this month.
“Workers are determined to stop the implementation of SSS premium hike. It is an unjust burden imposed by the Aquino government. It will further dig into our pockets just to fill the pockets of big capitalists and corrupt bureaucrats,” said Roger Soluta, KMU secretary-general.
Starting January this year, monthly SSS contributions will rise to 11 percent from 10.4 percent. This means minimum wage earners would have to pay at least P25 ($0.56) more on premium contributions per month.
KMU said the hike is unnecessary at improving SSS benefits or extending the life of its funds. They suspect that, based on trends, it may simply line the pockets of big capitalists as start-up capital for projects under the Aquino government’s Public-Private Partnership program.
The SSS executives have announced early into Aquino’s term that they intend to use or “invest” SSS funds into PPP projects.
“The SSS definitely does not need to increase premium contributions just to continue to exist. The truth is it already has more than enough funds from members who dutifully pay their contributions. Its board members have even pocketed millions of workers’ hard-earned money as fat bonuses,” Soluta said. He was referring to last year’s P10-million bonuses given by SSS executives to themselves.
KMU also condemned the Aquino government for defending this premium hike amid widespread protests.
“It is disgusting that this anti-worker and anti-people government dares to give flimsy excuses to justify such blatant extortion. Aquino is lying when he said the hike will result in greater benefits for members,” Soluta said.
The labor center also said the filing of a TRO in the High Court is just one manifestation of workers’ protests against the SSS premium hike and board bonus. They vowed bigger and bolder protests if the government insists in implementing the hike.
“We are hoping the high court would heed the demand of workers and the people to stop the SSS premium hike. It would be better if the SC issues a permanent injunction,” Soluta said.
Source: http://bulatlat.com/main/2014/01/11/labor-group-seeks-tro-on-sss-premium-hike/
(Photo courtesy of KMU-Public Information Dept.)
“Workers are determined to stop the implementation of SSS premium hike. It is an unjust burden imposed by the Aquino government. It will further dig into our pockets just to fill the pockets of big capitalists and corrupt bureaucrats,” said Roger Soluta, KMU secretary-general.
Starting January this year, monthly SSS contributions will rise to 11 percent from 10.4 percent. This means minimum wage earners would have to pay at least P25 ($0.56) more on premium contributions per month.
KMU said the hike is unnecessary at improving SSS benefits or extending the life of its funds. They suspect that, based on trends, it may simply line the pockets of big capitalists as start-up capital for projects under the Aquino government’s Public-Private Partnership program.
The SSS executives have announced early into Aquino’s term that they intend to use or “invest” SSS funds into PPP projects.
“The SSS definitely does not need to increase premium contributions just to continue to exist. The truth is it already has more than enough funds from members who dutifully pay their contributions. Its board members have even pocketed millions of workers’ hard-earned money as fat bonuses,” Soluta said. He was referring to last year’s P10-million bonuses given by SSS executives to themselves.
KMU also condemned the Aquino government for defending this premium hike amid widespread protests.
“It is disgusting that this anti-worker and anti-people government dares to give flimsy excuses to justify such blatant extortion. Aquino is lying when he said the hike will result in greater benefits for members,” Soluta said.
The labor center also said the filing of a TRO in the High Court is just one manifestation of workers’ protests against the SSS premium hike and board bonus. They vowed bigger and bolder protests if the government insists in implementing the hike.
“We are hoping the high court would heed the demand of workers and the people to stop the SSS premium hike. It would be better if the SC issues a permanent injunction,” Soluta said.
Source: http://bulatlat.com/main/2014/01/11/labor-group-seeks-tro-on-sss-premium-hike/
(Photo courtesy of KMU-Public Information Dept.)