THE chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon committee expressed hope on Thursday that the successor of Social Security System (SSS) President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Dooc will be as fit for the job as he was, especially given the challenge to maintain the fund’s viability.
Sen. Richard Gordon said he was saddened by the departure of Dooc, who announced on Wednesday he had sent President Duterte his letter of irrevocable resignation, in compliance with the new SSS charter. His exit will give Duterte a free hand to choose the person who will lead the SSS into the future under the new SSS law that the President recently signed.
“I am saddened by his resignation. He has done a good job. He is fit for the position,” he said.
Gordon expressed hope that Dooc’s replacement will have the same standard of integrity and competence to ensure that the needs of the SSS members are properly and timely met while also rendering the continuous profitability of the SSS to ensure its financial viability.
Gordon thanked Dooc for his dedicated service to the SSS and the invaluable support that helped bring about the SSS Bill 2019 that he authored.
On Wednesday Dooc said that he turned in his letter to the President on March 5, at the same time Republic Act 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 took effect.
“Yes, I voluntarily and irrevocably stepped down from my position as President and CEO and Vice Chairman of the SSS upon the effectivity of the new SSS charter yesterday. This will give President Duterte a free hand to appoint my successor who is deserving and worthy of his trust. I believe that I am leaving SSS in a better shape than when I found it,” Dooc told the BusinessMirror in a text message.
It was pointed out that his resignation is also in line with the implementation of the Social Security Act of 2018, as his term expires automatically upon its implementation.
“Yes, if I stay it will only be on a holdover capacity,” he added.
Under RA 11199, Section 3 B, the SSS president and CEO shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines to manage the operations and programs of the agency and carry out the policies of the Social Security Commission (SSC).
Under Dooc’s watch, the SSS posted the highest members’ contribution collection in the history of the pension fund with P181 billion in 2018, with benefit disbursements also at a high of P180 billion. He also pushed for programs aimed to further help the agency’s members such as the: Loan Restructuring Program; the Calamity Loan Assistance Package; and the Pension Loan Program.
The Real-Time Processing of Contributions (RTPC) program, which prevents delays in processing of benefit claims as contributions are posted immediately upon payment, was also launched under his stewardship.
The Social Security Act of 2018 was signed into law by President Duterte in February, and took effect on March 5, with the enactment of the law aimed at strengthening the viability of the pension fund, among others.
Dooc joined the state-run pension fund in November 2016, after being appointed by President Duterte to head the agency. Before that, he served as Insurance Commissioner since 2011.