A member of the House’s Makabayan Bloc on Tuesday welcomed the proposed P1000 pension increase being floated by some groups but maintained that this will not preclude the group from pushing for a P2000 Social Security System pension hike.
“I will still move for the override resolution of President Aquino’s veto of the 2000 pension hike when Congress resumes on May 23. The good thing that the SSS bill has done is that now the SSS as well as other groups are now thinking on how to increase the pension. While not long ago even a P200 pension increase is immediately shot down by the SSS,” House deputy minority leader and Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares, said.
Independent Bloc’s Rep. Martin Romualdez, a senatorial candidate, is also espousing the cause of the SSS pensioners by calling for a rejection of the presidential veto on the pension hike.
Colmenares, principal author of House Bill 5842 or the proposed P2,000 pension hike bill, said the SSS has to improve its efficiency collection and get rid of its high-paying board members to be able to grant its pensioners their much-needed monthly retirement allowance without having resulting in bankruptcy.
“Again the SSS will not go bankrupt with this if they improve their collection efficiency which is at a dismal 38 percent, by going after delinquent employers and by lessening the perks and bonuses of the SSS officials,” Colmenares pointed out.
“While the board and officials of the SSS enjoy millions in salaries, perks and bonuses, they are giving pensioners a subhuman pension,” he added.
Colmenares, a senatorial candidate, also disclosed the names and salaries of the high-paying SSS officials. In total as of 2014, P 116,826,265.95 were given to the 34 officials as against the two million SSS members awaiting the increase of their pensions.
Colmenares said they included: Elizabeth Bettina Antonio, SSS Board member/ commissioner with P5,997,400; Rizaldy Capulong, executive vice president with P4,959,898.83; Eddie Jara, senior vice president with P4,949,365.24; Jose Bautista, senior vice president, P4,896,557.43; Judy Frances See, senior vice president, P4,858,929.87; May Catherine Ciriaco, vice president, P4,747,589.90; Mario Sibucao, vice president, P4,557,731.53; Agnes San Jose, vice president, P4,414,748.40; Gwen Marie Samontina, vice president, P4,200,986.73.
Also included were Juan Santos, chairman of the board, P4,196,399.84; Emilio de Quiros Jr., president/CEO, P4,188,689.36; Marissu Bugante, vice president, P4,070,048.65; Josie Magana, vice president, P4,034,846.60; Daniel Edralin, board member/commissioner, P3,862,000; Nicholas Balbuena, vice president, P3,847,975.53; Antonio Argabioso, vice president (P3,816,354.33); Elvira Resare, vice president, P3,466,051.92; Milagros Pacayatan, vice president, P3,448,065.53; Voltaire Agas, senior vice president, P3,394,885.21; Ibarra Alonzo, board member/commissioner, P3,307,000; Diana Aguilar, board member/commissioner, P3,187,400; Nestor Sacayan, vice president, P3,156,404.73.
Colmenares said also in the list were Marianita Mendoza, board member/commissioner, P2,998,400; Jesse Caberoy, vice president, P2,866,869.27; Emilio de Quiros Jr., board member, P2,656,000; Ma. Lourdes Mendoza, vice president, P2,556,590.01; Bienvenido Lasuesma, board member/commissioner, P2,532,200; George Ongkengko, senior vice president, P2,392,922.27; Gamelin Oczon, vice president, P2,343,084.25; Hidelza Castillo, vice president, P2,162,399.84; Joel Layson, senior vice president, P1,793,339.17; Edgare Solilapsi, executive vice president, P1,677,182.46; Santiago Dionisio Agdeppa, senior vice president, P653,834.98) and Alan Gene Padilla, vice president, P634,114.07.