Congress paved the way for millions of Social Security System (SSS) members to re-avail of their benefits with the SSS after the bicameral conference committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives have approved a measure granting a one-time condonation of penalties on delinquent social security contributions of their employers.

Senator Richard J. Gordon, a co-author of Senate Bill 2454, said many employees have not been able to avail of their SSS benefits because their employers have failed to pay or remit their social security contributions. He noted that there are an estimated 164,111 delinquent employers and an estimated P94-billion amount of receivables from unpaid contributions.

The approval of the measure was held significant as a substantial number of SSS members was affected by the disastrous storm ‘’Ondoy’’ that hit Metro Manila and nearby provinces last Sept. 26. Parts of Metro Manila and the lakeside towns of Laguna Lake are still underwater.

“The purpose of this measure is to give employers with delinquent contributions one last chance to be able to pay for these obligations and all the penalties, not the principal, will be condoned. A condonation program would offer reprieve to thousands of employers with financial woes, while enabling their employees to resume their entitlement to benefits and loans,” he said.

The bicameral conference committees of the Legislative branch ironed out the disagreeing provisions of SB 2454 and House Bill 5922 proposing a one-time social security condonation program.

Present during the meeting were Gordon, chairman of the Senate panel, and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Representatives Felix Alfelor, Jr., chairman of the House panel, Lorenzo Tañada III, and Ma. Amelita Villarosa.

Freddie De Leon of the Fair Trade Alliance lauded the approval of the bill stressing that both employers and employees would benefit from the measure.

“We are really happy with this bill because, as stated, it will provide relief to troubled or distressed businessmen. We are grateful that Senator Gordon has given it his attention and support.

Several thousands of employers would be benefited by this bill,” de Leon said.

“Kapag hindi naka-remit ang employer, the SSS suspends the release of the benefits of employees. Kaya kapag naayos ito, SSS would be able to release the benefits of the employees,” he added.

Gordon explained that under the proposed condonation program, any employer who is delinquent or has not remitted all contributions due and payable to the SSS, may remit a down payment of 5 percent of its total contribution delinquency, and pay the remaining balance in equal monthly installments within a period of 48 months or four years with an interest of 3 percent per year.

He said that the program would also cover employers with pending cases before the Social Security Commission, the courts or the Office of the Prosecutor.