FOR almost four years now, the Social Security System (SSS) has been aggressively pursuing the coverage of informal sector workers including self-employed farmers through a partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA).
In March last year the SSS signed an agreement with the DA for the social-security protection of farmers and fishermen, wherein the former agreed to fully subsidize the farmers and fishermen’s contributions as self-employed members. Immediately after the SSS-DA partnership was formalized, more than 200,000 farmers who are members of rural-based organizations (RBO) or community extension workers (CEW) in good standing with the DA-Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), signed up as self-employed SSS members, considerably adding to the 450,000 farmers and fishermen already enrolled.
The DA-ATI, with RBOs and CEWs as its partners, implements extension and training activities to promote state-initiated food-sufficiency programs and other priority thrusts of the DA. The subsidy for SSS contributions forms part of the DA-ATI’s compensation for qualified members of RBOs and designated CEWs. Included in the list of RBOs are rural improvement clubs; the youth-based 4H Clubs; Pambansang Mananalon, Mag-uuma, Magbabaul, Magsasaka; Magsasaka Siyentista; and indigenous people.
Despite their invaluable role in our nation’s food security, farmers often struggle with seasonal incomes and their livelihood’s vulnerability against typhoons, floods and other whims of nature. Like most other workers, they, too, are susceptible to life’s contingencies such as sickness, disability, old age and death, among others. Thus, they deserve to have social-security protection, as well.
True to its commitment to cover farmers last week, the SSS and the provincial government of Isabela inked an agreement to cover 10,000 marginalized farmers in this Northern Luzon province. Dubbed as the RBO-Sapat na Seguridad para Sa mga Magsasaka (RBO-SSSM), the agreement provides for the allocation of P18 million to subsidize half of the SSS contributions of small farmers with one-fourth to 1 hectare of tillage. Kudos to Isabela provincial Gov. Faustino Dy III and provincial agriculturist Danilo Tumanibo for supporting SSS efforts to provide social protection to farmers! May the other provinces across the country follow Isabela province’s example and give not only partial but full subsidy of the farmers and fishermen’s contributions to their pension fund.
On a different note, congratulations to the Southern Mindanao cluster for opening a new branch at the heart of Davao City. Named as the SSS Ilustre Branch, it is the second full-service office in this city of durian and other exotic tropical fruits. Located at the 5th floor of the Gaisano Grand City mall at the center of Davao City, this new branch is expected to serve some 3,180 employers representing 20,000 employee-members. It is manned by seven hardworking personnel, led by Branch Head Mary Ellen Estoque.
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For more information about the SSS and its programs, call our 24-hour call center at (632) 920-6446 to 55, Monday to Friday, or send an e-mail to member_relations@sss.gov.ph.
Susie G. Bugante is the vice president for public affairs and special events of the Social Security System. Send comments about this column to susiebugante.bmirror@gmail.com.
