The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa on Monday condemned the granting of ‘midnight perks and benefits’ to Social Security System executives including its president and chief executive officer Emilio De Quiros, its chairman Juan Santos and other managers under a thinly disguised restructuring scheme.
TUCP described the benefits as “pabaon” or send-off money similar to that extended to former military generals who retired from the service.
The SSS-proposed Compensation and Position Classification System covers all government-owned and-controlled corporations and government financial institutions. Under the scheme, De Quiros, for instance, stands to receive an increase of P500,000 from SSS coffers in his monthly salary alone.
De Quiros, Santos and other SSS officials were all Aquino appointees, the TUCP said.
Once the proposed changes take effect, De Quiros will get an additional P300,000 more out of workers’ blood money in the form of more benefits and privileges. However, around 1,000 rank-and-file workers will not get any increase, TUCP said.
“In the light of very recent veto action of President Aquino to the proposed P2,000 pension increase for 2.4-million pensioners, we strongly oppose the plan to increase the salaries and benefits of SSS top executives including De Quiros and SSS chairman Juan Santos. As paying members and as representatives of the millions of SSS paying members, we demand that Mr. De Quiros and Mr. Santos be severed from SSS in order for the plan to be stopped,” the TUCP-Nagkaisa coalition said.
“It is unjust for De Quiros and Santos to tinker with it to enrich their selves at the expense of workers’ blood money,” the group added.
Drafted by the Good Governance Commission for Government-Owned or—Controlled Corporations, the EO 203 was signed by President Benigno Simeon Aquino III on March 22, 2016 “adopting a compensation and position classification system (CPCS) and a general index of occupational services (IOS) and for the GOCC sector covered by Republic Act No. 10149, and for other purposes.”
The group learned that De Quiros and Santos are actively lobbying in the SSS board and among the SSS rank and file workers for the immediate approval of SSS-proposed CPCS before the Duterte administration assume office on June 1 next month.
Citing the adverse effect on SSS funds, President Aquino vetoed the proposed bill allowing for a P2,000 monthly pension increase on January 14 this year. Aquino and SSS top management also turned down a compromise counter-offer of P1,000 and P500 pension increase to help pensioners cope with the rising cost of living.
The salary and benefits restructuring plan came amid the SSS top management turning down Expanded Maternity Leave measure that extends maternity leave for private sector women employees from 60 to 78 days to 100 days for the reason the measure will also affect the fund of SSS, TUCP said.
The SSS-proposed CPCS came after workers are still restive over the measly P10 wage increase granted last week by the National Capital Region-Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (NCR-RTWPB) amid the P154 petitioned by Trade Union Congress of the Philippines-Nagkaisa last month.