The University of the Philippines (UP) System and the Social Security System on Wednesday, August 14 signed a Memorandum of Agreement extending social security benefits to the university’s contract of service (COS) and job order (JO) employees as part of efforts to provide all UP personnel—regardless of status—with additional employee benefits .
Through the KaSSSangga Collect Program, UP will collect and remit the contributions of COS and JO personnel who will authorize the university to process these with the SSS.
“Although we do not have direct employer-employee relationships with the concerned personnel, we aim to use our resources to help alleviate some of their worries, especially about their savings through social security coverage,” UP president Angelo Jimenez said in his message during the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement.
“Protecting the university’s future includes protecting the futures of our personnel as well,” he added.
The agreement will also cover UP employees who are existing SSS members through private employment or self-employment and opt to continue paying contributions as voluntary members.
SSS president and chief executive officer Rolando Macasaet signed the agreement on behalf of the state-run social security program.
SSS Branch Operations Group executive vice president Voltaire Agas, SSS NCR Operations Group senior vice president Maria Rita Aguja, UP vice president for administration Augustus Resurreccion, and UP assistant vice president for administration Richard Javier witnessed the signing of the agreement.
The deal was initiated by the SSS in a proposal submitted to the UP Office of the President in 2022, offering an alternative arrangement for COS and JO personnel in government who are not covered by Republic Act No. 8291, also known as the Government Service Insurance System Act of 1997.
The SSS cited a circular jointly issued by the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit, and Department of Budget and Management which provides COS and JO employees the option to enroll themselves in social security programs, such as the SSS, PhilHealth, and PAG-IBlG, as self-employed members.
“I believe that our goals to serve the nation through high-quality and efficient services make us reliable partners for our COS and JO personnel,” Jimenez said.
In June, UP held its first recognition rites for the UP System Administration’s agency-hired employees, citing their “long years of continuous service to UP System offices and their commitment to UP’s brand of public service.
