Senatorial candidate and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez on Monday assured the public that the malasakit (compassionate) battle for Congress to override the presidential veto on the proposed P2,000 monthly increase in the pension of over two million Social Security System members will continue when Congress resumes session on May 23, 2016.
Romualdez, a lawyer and president of the Philippine Constitution Association, vowed to remain steadfast in the fight to give “malasakit” to SSS members by extending an increase in their monthly pension when Congress resumes on May 23 for the presidential canvassing where it will convene as a national board of canvassers.
“The battle to give ‘malasakit’ to our SSS members is not yet over because the move to override the presidential veto remains. Our collective hope of having it put to a vote is not fading because we feel this is just and right. All we need is to show a strong political will with our sincere desire to serve public interest,” Romualdez, head of the House Independent Bloc and a three-term congressman who is running for the Senate under a platform anchored on compassionate governance, pointed out.
Romualdez lamented the failure of the House leadership to tackle the resolution filed at the House seeking to override the President’s veto on P2,000 SSS pension hike bill during its last day of session last Feb. 3.
“We have to continue the fight to override the presidential veto because this is the most patriotic thing to do. Whatever the outcome will be, the people will see that Congress has tried its very best to champion their interests and that’s very important,” Romualdez, a shared senatorial candidate of Vice President Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago who are all running for president.
Romualdez was among the 75 lawmakers who signed the resolution of Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares to override the presidential veto. An override requires a two-thirds vote of the entire membership, or 192 of 287 members.
During his interview with Karen Davila on ANC’s morning show Headstart Monday, Romualdez said the government should also continue to find a way to settle the acceptable figure for the increase on SSS members’ pension.
“There are talks about bringing down the proposed P2,000 increase to P1,500 and adjusting also the contribution. We should explore all options available with the end result of providing malasakit to the plight of SSS members,” said Romualdez.
The House approved Bill mandating a P2,000 across-the-board increase in the monthly pension with corresponding adjustment of the minimum monthly pension under the Social Security System, amending for the purpose Section 12 of Republic Act No. 1661 as amended otherwise known as ‘SSS act of 1997’” on June 2015. It was adopted in toto by the Senate in November of that same year.
But in January, President Aquino vetoed the measure, saying the pension hike for over 2 million pensioners may result in negative income for the SSS.
“While we recognize the objective of the bill to promote the well being of the country’s private sector’s retirees, we cannot support the bill in its present form because of its dire financial consequences,” Aquino’s veto message address to the Congress read.