SSS to seek higher monthly contributions if 100-day maternity leave is enacted

The Social Security System intends to ask for an increase in members’ monthly contributions if the proposed expanded maternity leave is enacted into law.

SSS Vice President for Media Affairs Ma Luisa Sebastian said they support the expanded maternity benefits, but the law must be clear where the funds will come from.

SSS is the state-run pension fund for private sector employees.

“Sana lagyan nila ng pondo para ‘wag magkaroon ng impact sa ating overall fund,” Sebastian said. “Eighty percent naman ng lifeblood of SSS ay mula sa mga kontribusyon.”

In 1978 when a 0.4 percent funding was allotted to maternity benefits under the SSS Law, she said.

This has not been updated until now.

In the last 10 years, there has been a 10-percent yearly increase in the number of members getting their maternity benefits paid by SSS.

In 2019, if the maternity leave remains at 60 days for normal delivery and 78 for caesarian section, the pension fund estimates that disbursements will reach P3.5 billion.

But once it is extended to 100 days, Sebastian said the maternity leave benefits will go up to P5.3 billion.

To ensure that the SSS fund won’t be depleted, Sebastian said the SSS is proposing a P30 increase in monthly contributions for those earning P10,000 and P48 for those earning P16,000 or more.

In a related development, a workers group on Friday claimed that there have been errors in computing maternity leave benefits for female workers.

Eva Arcos, Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines vice president and ALU Women secretary general, said the 2017 DOLE handbook on workers’ benefits provided that maternity leave benefits are given “in lieu of wages” and “may not be included in computing the employee’s 13th month pay.”

Arcos noted that the SSS benefit is capped at P16,000 per month of maternity leave.

“Papaano ‘yung mga kumikita ng mataas sa P16,000? Bukod pa diyan sa may financial implications ay discriminatory ‘yan,” she said.

Arcos said women must be paid their monthly wages in full while on maternity leave even if their monthly salaries exceed P16,000.

She said that leaves related to paternity, parental, and Violence Against Women are paid in full.

The error may still be rectified by the bicameral conference committee tackling the proposed expanded maternity leave benefits when it meets to reconcile the respective versions of the Senate and House of Representatives’ Expanded Maternity Leave law.

The House recently approved a 100-day paid maternity leave benefit while the Senate earlier approved 120 days. —VDS, GMA News