Go files compensation standardization bill; SSS pension release

July 30, 2019 Metro BLISTT

BAGUIO CITY – Lone district representative Mark Go filed House Bill 2576, standardizing compensation of barangay officials and workers; and House Joint Resolution No. 6, urging state-owned Social Security System (SSS) to release the second tranche of P1,000.00 monthly pension increase of SSS pensioners not later than January 1, 2020.

HB 2576 would give standard compensation for barangay officials, barangay workers, including barangay tanods, members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa, Barangay Nutrition Action Officer (BNAO), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS), Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), Barangay Daycare workers, and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials, congressman Go stated in a press release he issued on Thursday, July 25, 2019.

The statement said that the proposed measure shall provide under Republic Act No. 6758 or the “Compensation and
Position Classification Act of 1989” barangay officials aggregate of salaries, allowances, and other emoluments equivalent to the corresponding salary grade provided.

Salary Grade 12 for Punong Barangays and Salary Grade 9 for Sangguniang Barangay members, Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson, Barangay secretaries, and Barangay treasurers.

The rate for Barangay tanods shall be equivalent to the rate of Salary Grade1, while members of Lupong Tagapamayapa, SK, SK secretary and SK treasurer shall be equivalent to sixty percent (60%) of the rate of Salary
Grade1.

The rate of BNAO, BNS, BHWs and Barangay Daycare workers shall be equivalent to the rate of Salary Grade 1. The proposal states that barangay officials and workers receiving higher rates shall not be subject to diminution of pay.
“Barangay officials and barangay workers are the primary link of the government to the grassroots.

They are the most accurate barometer of the public’s pulse that bring forth invaluable contributions in aligning our national development goals with our people’s urgent needs and genuine concerns,” Go said.

The measure also provides that all barangay officials and workers, and SK officials shall be covered by the Government Insurance System (GSIS), PhilHealth, and Pag-ibig Fund.

“Their compensation, and in effect their independence and efficiency in service should not be left vulnerable to a dynamic local political environment. We need to standardize the rate of compensation received by barangay officials and barangay workers nationwide in recognition of the prime importance of barangays in national development,” Go added.

Meanwhile, Go said in another press statement issued the same day, July 25, that President Rodrigo Duterte approved an across-the-board P1,000.00 increase in the monthly pension of some 2.2 million SSS retirees in January 2017, through a Malacañang memorandum.

House Joint Resolution No. 6 filed by congressman Go is calling the attention of SSS to release the second tranche of increase in monthly pension of SSS pensioners not later than January 1, 2020 amounting to P1,000.00.

“Our pensioners were awaiting the release of the second tranche of increase in their monthly pension which was already approved by the President and was supposedly due this year based on the approved Joint Resolution of Congress,” Go said.

The Senate and the House of Representatives during the 17th Congress approved Joint Resolution 10, a measure increasing the monthly pension of SSS pensioners under Social Security Act of 1997, the statement said.

Joint Resolution 10 provides that the monthly pension of SSS members shall be increased by P2,000.00 to be given in two (2) tranches, the first tranche of P1,000.00 shall be given starting January 2017 and the second tranche of the same amount shall be released to pensioners in January 2019.

The minimum monthly pension shall be P3,200.00 for members with at least 10 credited years of service and P4,400.00 for those with 20 credited years of service, the statement said.

Former SSS Chairman Amado Valdez earlier said that the initial P1,000.00 pension hike implemented in January 2017 will be followed by another P1,000.00 hike in 2022 or even earlier in compliance with the Congress Joint Resolution.

Former SSS president Emmanuel Dooc also confirmed that the second round of increase could be implemented by the first quarter of 2020.

“To address the situation of our pensioners, SSS should prioritize the release of the second tranche of increase which is supposedly due in January 2019. We are making this appeal to them to release it not later than January 1, 2020,” Go said.

Merriam del Rosario-ABN