A House deputy minority leader on Tuesday called on Malacañang to also defer premium hikes of the Social Security System (SSS) and the Home Development Mutual Fund, or Pag-IBIG Fund.
House Deputy Minority leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro made the statement as she welcomed the deferment of the premium hike of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) due to socioeconomic challenges as the Palace announced.
Starting January 1, 2023, the new contribution rate for SSS will be at 14 percent, up one percentage point from 13 percent, while Pag-IBIG fund is set to increase its rates from P100 to P150 this year unless their boards or Malacañang moves to suspend the increases, said Castro.
“This is good but I think we can cite the same reason to also defer the premium hikes of the Social Security System [SSS] and the Home Development Mutual Fund, or Pag-IBIG Fund. Inflation is still rising, with the first week of 2023 ushering in a big time oil price hike and a staggering increase in water and power rates,” said the lawmaker.
“Malacañang can also write or order the board of directors of the SSS and Pag-IBIG to defer their contribution hikes because Filipino workers need every peso that they earn to feed their families now,” added the deputy minority leader.
Malacañang has announced the suspension of the scheduled hike in premiums of the PhilHealth from 4 percent to 4.5 percent that would have seen the lowest-earning members pay P50 more on top of their P400 monthly contribution.