The Social Security System (SSS) has partnered with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) to provide social security protection to job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers in the government.
The partnership was formalized March 7 at the CFO headquarters in Quezon City, where SSS president and chief executive officer Robert Joseph Montes De Claro and CFO chairperson Dante Ang II signed a memorandum of agreement to implement the KaSSSangga Collect program.
“We commend the CFO and Secretary Ang for taking this initiative to ensure that their JO and COS workers receive the social security protection they deserve,” De Claro said in a statement March 19.
He assured that SSS is committed to also support CFO’s mandate of helping overseas Filipinos preserve and strengthen their social, economic, and cultural ties to the Philippines.
Under the agreement, JO and COS workers at the CFO will be registered as self-employed SSS members through the KaSSSangga Collect program. It is important to note that these workers do not fall under the coverage of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) due to their employment status.
“CFO will act as an authorized coverage and collection partner of SSS, enabling the agency to collect and remit the monthly SSS contributions of its JO and COS workers through a salary-deduction scheme,” De Claro explained.
As self-employed SSS members, JO and COS workers will gain access to a comprehensive range of social security benefits, including sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, funeral, and death benefits.
They will also be able to apply for various SSS loan programs, such as salary and calamity loans, which will provide financial security in different life situations.
“Furthermore, they will receive additional coverage from the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) for work-related sickness, disability, or death,” De Claro added.
Regular CFO employees also have the opportunity to continue paying their SSS contributions as voluntary members under this program. ||
