BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Social Security System’s (SSS) Bacolod East branch issued show cause orders to six establishments for being remiss in payments their employees’ contributions.
The establishments in question were a hardware store, an office, a trucking service, a motor emission testing center, a spa, and a cake shop.
Issuing show cause orders is part of SSS-Bacolod’s “Run After Contributions Evaders” (RACE) campaign.
SSS vice president for Visayas West 1 Division Lilani Benedian said the issuance was a reminder to the establishments.
“Mayroon silang obligasyon, ano na ang nangyari? We want to hear from them. Bakit nagkaganito ang records nila sa amin?” said Benedian who was here for the serving of the show cause orders.
Her visit, she said, was also an opportunity for SSS to present its programs and options to delinquent establishments to settle their obligations.
SSS Visayas West 1 legal head Atty. Eduard Dorsey Caratao, meanwhile, said the delinquent establishments were given 15 days to answer the show cause orders.
Under Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018, Caratao said, non-payment of SSS contributions or non-registration of employers to SSS is a criminal liability.
Penalties include six months to 12 years of imprisonment.
However, Caratao said, most of the time SSS prefers to optimize settlement whenever possible.
At present SSS in Western Visayas has 177 pending cases related to non-remittance, underpayment, and under reporting of SSS contributions, of which Caratao said they have secured five convictions.
“The System is very much serious in running after delinquent employers,” Caratao added.
SSS data showed 1,311 registered employers in Bacolod City and the neighboring towns of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto were remiss in paying SSS contributions.
The total amount of delinquency reached P81 million as of June 2022./PN
