MIDSAYAP, Cotabato Province (PIA) -- Officials of the Social Security System (SSS) visited and issued notices to 10 establishments in Midsayap, Cotabato Province Thursday, urging owners to insure their employees with SSS and pay unpaid premiums. 

The activity, tagged as Run After Contribution Evaders (RACE) operation aims to “remind noncompliant employers of their responsibilities under the SSS Law,” Vice President of Mindanao South II Division Redentor Viola told local media in a press conference.

Viola, however, emphasized that unlike the “shock and awe” approach of the past RACE operations, the current campaign is focused on “explaining, by way of presenting documents regarding their deficiencies with SSS, and giving them time to comply.”

He explained that through the RACE campaign, SSS encourages the target noncompliant employers to avail of the agency’s installment offering, the SSS Pandemic Relief and Restructuring Program (PRRP). 

“In our relief program, the employers are given up to 60 months to pay the deficiencies on installment,” he said. 

PRRP 3 will only be available to employers until November, this year. 

Of the 10 establishments sampled in the Midsayap campaign, 4 had not registered their employees with SSS while 6 did not remit contributions.

According to Viola, one establishment visited has been in operation since February with 16 personnel. This, he said, results in over P100,000 in liability.

He underscored that employers are required to register with SSS within 30 days from the first day of operation and should enroll their workers within 30 days from first day of employment. 

Atty. Zavier Palao, OIC of the Mindanao South Legal Department underscored that under the Social Security Act of 2018 (RA 11199) failure to register and pay contributions of employees are “punishable by imprisonment of up to 12 years and a fine of P20,000.”

“In case of employee sickness or accident, an employer, who has not paid contributions of that employee, is liable for the damages, which is equal to the benefits that the subject person should have received if his or her contributions to SSS were paid,” Atty. Palao said. 

The RACE campaign in Midsayap was the fifth this year.  Those issued notices were given 15 days to comply. (PIA XII)