GENERAL SANTOS CITY–Nine business establishments here are facing possible charges for violating the Social Security Law.
The erring employers were uncovered during a series of surprise inspections on Monday conducted by Social Security System (SSS) legal and enforcement personnel on several local establishments, said Atty. Voltaire Agas, SSS senior vice president and chief legal counsel.
Agas said the establishments failed to register their workers with the agency and pay their contributions, while others registered their employees, made deductions in their salaries, but failed to remit them to the agency.
“We came here to remind them of their obligations for the benefit of their workers or we will be forced to file charges against them,” he told reporters Tuesday.
The inspection team immediately issued show cause orders on the delinquent establishments, which included a beauty salon, motor parts store and eatery, whose owners were directed to respond and comply with the order within 15 days. The move is part of the agency’s Run After Contribution Evaders (Race) campaign.
Under Republic Act 8282 or the Social Security Act of 1997, erring employers may face imprisonment of up to 12 years and would be required to settle their delinquencies and corresponding penalties.
Agas said the agency could also issue writs of restraint, levy and garnishment against the violators.
“This new collection scheme, based on the SSS Law, enables us to collect from the erring establishments in the same way as taxes are collected,” he said.
Emmanuel Palma, acting SSS vice president for Mindanao operations group, urged other employers here to properly comply with the provisions of the Social Security Law to avoid sanctions.
Palma also advised workers to regularly verify with the agency their record of contributions to check if their employers are properly remitting them.
May Catherine Ciriaco, SSS senior vice president for administration group, said the agency will continue with the conduct of the Race campaign in the entire country.
Ciriaco said they intend to eventually “saturate” all areas with employers who have delinquencies with the agency.
“This is to ensure that all our employers would follow the law and at the same time to protect our workers, especially the poor,” she said. (PNA)
