President Rodrigo R. Duterte will soon have the power to legally defer the implementation of the next round of premium hike of the Social Security System (SSS) amid the ongoing State of Calamity due to the pandemic.
On Wednesday, Duterte signed Republic Act (RA) 11548 giving him the power.
“Upon the recommendation of the Social Security Commission after consultation with stakeholders, the implementation of the one percent 2021 increase in contribution rates and monthly salary credits provided in this section maybe suspended by the President of the Philippines for the duration of the state of calamity,” the four-paged RA 11548.
Duterte placed the entire country under State Calamity through Proclamation No. 929 to allow the national and local government to utilize appropriate funds for Covid response.
The declaration should have initially lasted only six months but was extended through Proclamation No. 1021 and will now end on 12 Sept. 2021.
Congress came out with RA 11548 after some lawmakers and stakeholders called for the temporary suspension of the scheduled premium hike this year as the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) displacement many workers.
RA 11548 will take effect 15 days after its publication in a at least two newspaper of general circulation.