MANILA — Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William I. Ramirez and Social Security System (SSS) President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora Ignacio on Tuesday formally signed a landmark memorandum of agreement (MOA) that would finally provide SSS benefits for athletes, trainers and coaches.
“I was so surprised and I’m so happy that such a big courier organization of the country is partnering with us, helping us with our athletes,” Ramirez said in his speech during the signing ceremony at the PSC building at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila.
Ramirez said the historic partnership will be one of the legacies that they want to leave to the national athletes, coaches and trainers.
“This are our legacy na iiwanan (that will leave), big part of this. Sa pananaw ko (I think), no single Bureau or Department can achieve this goal without collaboration with the other agency and I think this is an example of a great collaboration” Ramirez said.
Ramirez was accompanied by his three commissioners — Charles Raymond Maxey, Celia Kiram and Arnold Agustin while Ignacio was with SSS NCR Operations Group Senior Vice President Jose B. Bautista and SSS Concurrent Acting Senior Vice President Antonio S. Argabioso.
“Unang-una ‘ho, kami ‘ho ang dapat na magpasalamat sa inyo. Kami ‘ho ang mas nangangailangan talaga na mai-cover ang inyong mga Coaches, Trainers tska Athletes. (First, we should be the one who should express appreciation. We really need to cover your coaches, trainers and athletes),” Ignacio said.
Ignacio said the partnership was in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to provide protection to the national athletes, coaches and trainers who continuously give pride and glory for the country in the international arena.
“Maraming atleta na tumatanda na lang at hindi sila natutulungan sa pagpapa-ospital sa kanilang pagtanda. So with the SSS coverage hindi lang ‘ho yung sickness at disability ang makukuha nila, there are other benefits lalo na sa atletang babae (Many athletes have retired and they are not getting help like hospitalization when they become old. So with the SSS coverage, they will not only get sickness and disability benefits, but other benefits specially for female athletes)” Ignacio said.
SSS members should complete at least 120 months contribution in order to enjoy the pension and other SSS benefits.
Under the agreement, the PSC shall automatically deduct the monthly SSS contributions from the allowances of the national athletes, coaches and trainers under ‘self-employed’ category.
“The PSC, having no employer-employee relationship with its national athletes, coaches and trainers, has no obligation to pay the employer counterpart of the said contributions,” stated in the MOA.
The PSC is a government sports arm that supports the training and exposures of some over 1,000 national athletes from 58 National Sports Associations (NSAs).
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