SAMAL, Bataan — Some farmers in Bataan on Friday welcomed the move of the Social Security System to ease their payment of contributions but suggested that payment be scheduled every March.
Godilito Periales of Barangay Ibaba, Samal said it was okay for him to pay SSS contribution in the amount that he can afford. “Ang maganda sana ay tuwing tag- araw. Mas maganda sa Marso kasi marami tayong kalamidad ng October, mga bagyo.”
October is the harvest month for the rainy season cropping while March is harvest time for the dry season planting in most parts of Bataan.
“Para sa akin ay Marso sana dahil maganda-ganda ang ani at maski papaano ay hindi masakit sa bulsa dahil kalamidad kapag October. September pa lang may kalamidad na kaya break-even lang magsasaka,” the farmer said.
“Mas maganda nga ito para sa magsasaka hind lang sa kumpanya na may SSS. Mas maganda na sa magsasaka ay mayroon din dahil hindi masasabi ang mangyayari baka makatapak ng ahas o may mangyayari sa buhay,” Periales added.
He said he will have his palay harvest second week of October but he is not sure if it will be good until the palay grains are already in the sacks. “Minsan kasi aani ka
na masasabutahi pa ng bagyo, dadapa ang palay.”
Another farmer, Restituto Dela Rosa, also of Ibaba, said he appreciated the benefits offered by the SSS that he said will be of big help to the farmers.
“Mas maganda sana kung Marso kasi mas magaan ang buhay at mas madaling makakabayad ang mga magsasaka. Kung Oktubre ay kasalukuyan pa lang umaani ng mga magsasaka,” Dela Rosa added.
SSS has devised a new contribution payment scheme that would allow farmers, fisherfolk and other self-employed individuals to pay contributions for any of the last 12 months in the current month.
In the new program, if a farmer pays his SSS contribution on Oct. 28, 2022, he can still pay his monthly contributions in the past 12 months before October 2022 or from October 2021 to September 2022.
Under the existing payment deadline of remittances, self-employed members such as farmers, fisherfolk who will pay their contributions on Oct. 31, 2022 can only pay their monthly contributions for July to September 2022.
SSS said that self-employed members are entitled to social security benefits such as sickness, maternity, retirement, disability, funeral and death. They also qualify for loan programs, including salary, calamity and educational assistance.
