Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

208

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative MICAELA S. VIOLAGO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Alarge number of SSS pensioners have further suffered difficulties owing to the continuing
escalation of the cost of living in the country, which is due, in large part, to the downturn of
the global economy. The amount that these retirees receive as their monthly pension is
rendered sadly inadequate to meet even the barest of their needs.

Under the new Social Security Act, otherwise known as Republic Act No. 8262, SSS
members with at least 10 credited years of service are provided a monthly pension of
P1,200.00, while those with 20 credited years are given P2,400.00. Those who retired
under the old SSS Law, R.A. 1161, are even more hard pressed because their monthly
pension pays much less.

During the 15th Congress, House Bill 4365 was filed by Bayan Muna Party-List that sought
to increase the minimum SSS pension to P7,000. Bayan Muna launched a nationwide
campaign to gather support for the said bill to be enacted into law. Thousands of SSS
pensioners and senior citizens, as well as Local Government Units from all over the
country, responded through petitions, resolutions, letters, and telephone callsimessages
which only reflected that there was indeed a clamor for higher SSS pension rate. After a
series of congressional hearings with consultations with Senior Citizens and the SSS
management in between, however, Congress was able to pass on third reading HB 6748
adding only P1,000 - P2,000 to the current minimum SSS Pension. The effort was also not
enough to push the Senate and the Executive Department to enact the bill.

While also pushing for an increase in the SSS pension, the authors believe that there was
no need for a corresponding increase in the SSS premium to the pension increases
because data gathered state that SSS is capable of doing so. However, the premiums
were inevitably increased by the President, and without a corresponding increase in the
pension rate.

This bill is the approved House Bill 5842 in the 16th Congress re-filed that seeks to
increase the current SSS pension rate to make it more responsive to the basic necessities
of SSS pensioners. Immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought for the benefit of
SSS pensioners who are mostly Senior Citizens with no other sources of income to
support their, and their family’s ever increasing needs.


This bill has been filed in the 16th Congress by Bayan Muna Representatives Neri
J. Colmenares and Carlos Isagani T. Zarate and it is fervently hoped that it will see
passage in the 17" Congress.

(CAELA S. VIOLI
cond District, Nueva Ecija



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

208

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative MICAELA S. VIOLAGO

AN ACT MANDATING A TWO THOUSAND PESO (P2,000) ACROSS-THE-BOARD
INCREASE IN THE MONTHLY PENSION WITH CORRESPONDING ADJUSTMENT
OF THE MINIMUM MONTHLY PENSION UNDER THE SOCIAL SECURITY
SYSTEM, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 12 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO.
1161, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “SOCIAL SECURITY ACT OF
1997”

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the Social Security
Commission is hereby mandated to implement a Two thousand pesos (P2,000) across-
the-board increase in the monthly pension under the Social Security System.

SEC. 2. Section.12 of Republic Act No. 1161, as amended by Republic Act No. 8282,
is hereby further amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 12. Monthly Pension. —
(a) The monthly pension shalll be the highest of the following amounts:
“(1) The sum of the following:

“() Three hundred pesos (P30); plus

“(ji) Twenty percent (20%) of the average monthly salary credit;
plus.

“(ili) Two percent (2%) of the average monthly salary credit for
each credited year of service in excess of ten (10) years; or

“(2) Forty percent (40%) of the average monthly salary credit; or

“() One thousand pesos (P1,000): Provided, That the monthly
pension shall in no case be paid for an aggregate amount of less
than sixty (60) months.


(b) Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, the minimum MONTHLY
pension shall be [One thousand two hundred pesos (P1,200)] THREE
THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED (P3,200) for members with at least ten (10)
credited years of service and [Two thousand four hundred pesos (P2,400)]
FOUR THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED PESOS (P4,400) for those with
twenty (20) credited years of service.”

SEC. 3. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction,
administrative order, rule, or regulation inconsistent with this Act is hereby repealed,
modified, or amended accordingly.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,