PDLS IN ABRA TOWN GET SOCIAL SECURITY COVERAGE

FIFTY persons deprived of liberty  in Bangued, Abra will now have social security coverage from the Social Security System (SSS).

This after the SSS Bangued Branch and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) sealed an agreement for the AlkanSSSya Program.

SSS Vice President for Luzon North 1 Division Ceasar Saludo and BJMP Acting District Jail Warden Junior Inspector Franz Marc Ganitano on June 11, 2024 led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for implementing the program in Bucay District Jail.

According to Saludo, the agreement is part of the SSS’ commitment to extend social security coverage to all Filipinos, especially those who belong to vulnerable groups like the PDLs.

Saludo said that under the SSS AlkanSSSya Program, PDLs will be registered as self-employed SSS members. The designated BJMP personnel will collect and remit the PDLs’ monthly contributions to SSS Bangued.

He said PDLs can set aside P19 per day or a portion of their monthly earnings from handicrafts making and poultry raising to save up for their P570 monthly Social Security (SS) and Employees’ Compensation (EC) contributions.

Saludo further said that PDLs can also increase their monthly contributions depending on their income source.

The SSS official explained that regular contribution remittance will qualify the PDLs for SSS benefits such as sickness, maternity for female PDLs, disability, retirement, death and funeral, as well as loan privileges like salary and calamity.

Saludo added that in addition to the regular SS benefits, PDLs are also eligible to receive EC benefits in case of work-connected sickness, injury, or death.

“While incarcerated, these people still deserve to have social security protection. Hence, SSS extended social security coverage to them through the AlkanSSSya Program, which is part of our mandate to secure the welfare of all Filipino workers in times of contingencies,” Saludo  said.