SSS coverage to include BFAR job order workers

By Funny Pearl A. Gajunera
THE Social Security System signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources that will pave the way for the enrollment of BFAR 11’s Job Order employees to the SSS Alkansssya program.
BFAR 11 Director Fatma Idris signed the MOA together with SSS vice president for VisMin Group Eddie Jara Thursday morning, formalizing the agreement between the two government agencies.
Under the MOA, BFAR 11 JOs will be covered by SSS with their monthly contribution through salary deduction.
BFAR 11, in turn, will also assist the SSS in the implementation of the program.
With the signing of the MOA, a total of 180 JOs under the BFAR are now officially enrolled for the SSS program.
Idris said that she had been requiring her JO employees to register themselves to the SSS even before the MOA signing.
“Naghanap talaga kami ng mga insurance para sa mga JO namin tapos nakita namin tong Alkansssya program ng SSS (We have been looking for insurance for our JO employees and then we saw this Alkansssya program of the SSS),” she said.
Most of JO employees are working with the office for quiet sometime already, according to Idis.
“Some of them are five years already in the office. May mga 17 years pa nga kaya maganda talaga na may SSS sila. Total para sa kanila din naman yun) (Some of them are in the office for 17 years now, and it’s really important to include them in the SSS program. Anyway, this is for them),” Idris added.
On the other hand, Jara said that even if the contract of the JO expires he or she can still continue with the contribution through voluntary member.
Jara also said their agency is looking at the Department of Social Welfares and Development (DSWD) as their next government agency to partner with their program.
“Maraming mga JO sa DSWD. So sana sila na ang next na partner namin (There are so many job order employees in theDSWD. We hope they will be our next partner),” he said.