SSS officials received P1-M bonuses in 2012 – report

Governing officials of the state-run Social Security System (SSS) received bonuses averaging a little over P1 million in 2012, according to a "24 Oras" report on Monday.

The report said the following officials received bonuses based on the performance-based incentive system entitled to government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) employees with good performance:

Juan Santos, chairman - P1.176 million
Emilio De Quiros Jr., vice chairman - P1.04 million
Diana Pardo-Aguilar, board member - P1.336 million
Daniel Edralin, board member - P1.128 million
Eliza Antonio, board member - P968,000
Marianita Mendoza, board member - P1.024 million
Ibarra Malonzo, board member - P1.416 million
Bienvenido Laguesma, board member - P1.304 million

De Quiros, who is also SSS president and CEO, said there is nothing irregular about the bonuses, adding that the incentives were usually rolled out at the end of the year.

He added that their employees were also given bonuses worth P276 million in total.

"Normally. 'yung GOCCs at the end of the year would give bonuses to their employees and officers. They've been called different names. SSS was doing that in the past and that has been a regular thing for officers and staff," De Quiros said in the report.

De Quiros surmised that the complaints come from disgruntled employees who did not receive any bonuses due to poor performance.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna representative Neri Colmenares criticized the bonuses, saying many SSS clients were receiving low pensions, according to the report.

Members of the state-run fund also face a pending mandatory increase in contributions next year.

Malacañang, for their part, said in the report that they would look into whether or not the bonuses were excessive.

According to the Governance Commission for GOCCs' Memorandum Circular No. 2012-14, GOCCs are entitled incentives for good performance, good governance conditions, and when they have paid taxes and dividends to government.

The Palace earlier defended the six-figure bonuses for the officials of another GOCC, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), saying there is nothing irregular about the incentives since the agency is generating billions in net income. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/BM, GMA News