(An open letter to Conrado De Quiros from an SSS contributor in response to his column titled “What’s in a name?”)
Dear Conrad,
Let’s not kid ourselves and say that the SSS that we have now has been so vastly improved that the bonuses approved for its officers and employees that it would go unquestioned.
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That people can check the status of the SSS benefits and contributions anywhere in the country, like an ATM as you put it, is really making a big deal out of being able to see a pittance.
Because, after 20 years of monthly contributions or 120 monthly contributions if you’re self-employed, what you get is monthly pension and lump-sum, the size of which is really just better than nothing.
According to one calculation, if you were earning around 15,000 a month for 20 years, your monthly pension would amount to about P6,000 a month.
Wow! If you had nothing else to count on in what would hopefully be your many years of retirement Conrad, I doubt that could pay for more than a couple of nights drinking at Conspiracy, 70’s Bistro, or wherever it is guys like you drink beer. For the rest of the month, if you spend all that dough drinking, well, you’ll have to be like the lead character in “No One Writes To The Colonel”:
”If the rooster wins,’ the woman said. ‘But if he loses. It hasn’t occurred to you that the rooster might lose.”
”He’s one rooster that can’t lose.”
“But suppose he loses.”
There are still forty-four days left to begin to think about that,’ the colonel said.
The woman lost her patience. ‘And meanwhile what do we eat?’ she asked, and seized the colonel by the collar of his flannel night shirt. She shook him hard.
It had taken the colonel seventy-five years – the seventy-five years of his life,minute by minute – to reach this moment. He felt pure, explicit, invincible at the moment when he replied: ‘Shit’.
The crux of the matter, Conrad, is not morality but circumspection.
I don’t know how far up someone’s ass you’d have to put your head in order not to see how news of the controversial million peso SSS bonuses would look outrageous at a time when millions of taxpayers are smarting over the P10 Billion Pork Barrel Scam.
The main beef that middle income Filipino tax payers have with government is that they’re getting next to zip from government for the amount of taxes they are compelled to pay every month. On top of which, middle income Filipino tax payers have to pay “extra” for the stuff that should be provided by the government.
Middle income earners have to send their children to private school because the public school system is so bad; they pay to live inside gated villages with its own private security force because you just can’t count on the police; they drive cars to work and pay for its maintenance because there IS NO public transport system; and these are just three of the many things middle income earners have to pay extra for.
And at the end of their productive and employable lives, after having contributed to the SSS whether they like it or not, they get what? A paltry lump sum and a pitiful monthly pension.
Yes, I wish you could read out your column in front of SSS pensioners, particularly this part:
I did not, as the intriguers keep saying, cajole Malacañang into putting him in the SSS. He was recommended by the banking community after he retired as BPI executive vice president and president of Ayala Assurance, the latter earning for him various plaudits.
Has he made the SSS profitable? Has he made the SSS viable? Has he put the SSS in a position to give more and better service?
Yes.
Being forced to give money and getting little or nothing in return is one definition of robbery.
Galing ng kapatid mo, Conrado… BIGYAN NG JACKET!
Writer.
Way to go, Paul! Thanks for giving it to that “highly unlikable” guy on behalf of all of us SSS contributors! I hope he’ll be able to read this, and the millions of other SSS contributors?
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think you were able to mention that according to the government, the SSS contributors’ contributions are set to increase? I don’t know how these guys can get away with what they do in an in-your-face way, without even hiding it! They would have been killed in broad daylight if this happened in other countries….
I agree with the letter writer’s sentiments about the bonuses but if you really want to get real, ask yourself, Do I really want to depend on the government for my survival? If you want to turn over your life to the government, good luck. What i am trying to say is grow up and plan your retirement and do not depend on ANYBODY. Plan ahead, if you don’t want to beg from your children when you grow old.
Wasn’t that made clear? As employees (and employers) in the Philippines, we are compelled to “contribute” to a government fund that will be the source our pension as retirees. These are mandatory deductions as defined by Philippine law. Yet retirees receive a paltry sum that is not commensurate to the years of service that they put in (both private and government). That hasn’t improved; the current state of the SSS isn’t something to be proud of. And if one were to, as you say, rely on a private pension plan (or other retirement schemes), what is the point of the SSS contributions?
The point is, there ought not to be a deduction if it’s for something that can’t be made of any or little use.
That’s precisely the idea I was driving when I asked the question. Retirement benefits haven’t kept up with the rise in the cost of living. Yet Filipino workers/employers are forced to comply with what is becoming an onerous mandate. In spite of the fact that there are arguably better retirement plans from the private sector.
Unfortunately, it’s a moot discussion. Since the SSS was created in 1957, there has been no choice to opt out of the scheme.
ABOLISH SSS AND KANYA KANYA NA LANG NA PAGSASAVE FOR THE RAINY DAYS! STUPID IDEA SOMETIMES WORKS WELL, IF THIS IS THE KIND OF ROI THAT WE GET FROM OUR 20 YEARS OR 120 SO SO CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SSS. BY THE WAY, HAS ANYONE DEFINE SSS???
SUKLAM NA SUKMAL NA SUKLAM NA AKO SA SSS. WHAT DID I GET AFTER CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN 120 VARIED AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTIONS? 2,595 MONTHLY. TAPOS KINANSEL PA NUONG MAG PART TIME TEACHING JOB AKO DAHIL DAW NAG WORK AKO, ANONG KLASENG BATAS YAN. PARURUSAHAN KA PA PAG KA NAGING PRODUCTIVE KA AT THE AGE OF 63. TO HELL WITH YOU GUYS KAYONG MGA NASA SSS AT MGA CONGRESS PEOPLE. GAWIN NYO DAPAT NYONG GAWIN UPANG MA AMEND ITONG BATAS NA TO. BULOK NA MGA PROVISIONS SINCE 1957 PA YAN HINDI ANGKOP SA PANAHON NATIN NGAYON. TULAD DIN NG ATING BULOK NA 1987 CONSTITUTION NG AQUINO GOVERNMENT.
IF THIS IS THE KIND OF ROI THAT WE GET FROM OUR 20 YEARS OR 120 SO SO CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SSS. WHAT IS THE USE OF OUR CONTRIBUTIONS THEN? MAPUPUNTA LANG PALA SA MGA BULSA NG MGA KAWATAN. THE NERVES! BY THE WAY, HAS ANYONE DEFINE SSS???
SUKLAM NA SUKLAM NA SUKLAM NA AKO SA SSS. WHAT DID I GET AFTER CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN 120 VARIED AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTIONS? 2,595 MONTHLY. TAPOS KINANSEL PA NUONG MAG PART TIME TEACHING JOB AKO DAHIL DAW NAG WORK AKO, ANONG KLASENG BATAS YAN. PARURUSAHAN KA PA PAG KA NAGING PRODUCTIVE KA AT THE AGE OF 63. TO HELL WITH YOU GUYS KAYONG MGA NASA SSS AT MGA CONGRESS PEOPLE. GAWIN NYO DAPAT NYONG GAWIN UPANG MA AMEND ITONG BATAS NA TO. BULOK NA MGA PROVISIONS SINCE 1957 PA YAN HINDI ANGKOP SA PANAHON NATIN NGAYON. TULAD DIN NG ATING BULOK NA 1987 CONSTITUTION NG AQUINO GOVERNMENT.
IF THIS IS THE KIND OF ROI THAT WE GET FROM OUR 20 YEARS OR 120 SO SO CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE SSS. WHAT IS THE USE OF OUR CONTRIBUTIONS THEN? MAPUPUNTA LANG PALA SA MGA BULSA NG MGA KAWATAN. THE NERVES! BY THE WAY, HAS ANYONE DEFINE SSS???
SUKLAM NA SUKLAM NA SUKLAM NA AKO SA SSS. WHAT DID I GET AFTER CONTRIBUTING MORE THAN 120 VARIED AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTIONS? 2,595 MONTHLY. TAPOS KINANSEL PA NUONG MAG PART TIME TEACHING JOB AKO DAHIL DAW NAG WORK AKO, ANONG KLASENG BATAS YAN. PARURUSAHAN KA PA PAG KA NAGING PRODUCTIVE KA AT THE AGE OF 63. TO HELL WITH YOU GUYS KAYONG MGA NASA SSS AT MGA CONGRESS PEOPLE. GAWIN NYO DAPAT NYONG GAWIN UPANG MA AMEND ITONG BATAS NA TO. BULOK NA MGA PROVISIONS SINCE 1957 PA YAN HINDI ANGKOP SA PANAHON NATIN NGAYON.
I never really understood sss/gsis and pagibig and philhealth.
Sss and pagibig mostly though.
Why should everyone be required to pay via mandatory salary deduction to create a pension fund that is forced to assume risk with other peoples money in an attempt to create a return on an investment.
The risk they assume is not guaranteed to net the pension fund a rate of increase. They make losses to. You are compelled to trust people you dont trust to build you funds for the future. It doesnt make sense.
The responsibility to grow your retirement fund shoukd be a voluntary choice. As mentioned by another poster, the private sector.provides that option in various tiers. So you know what you are getting inti and you can make a voluntary informed choice in what and where to risk your money to get a possible good/better return. Why mandatory?
Also, the sss and gsis is just a big drain in terms of overhead expenses with personnel and maintenance. Add to that they have the discretion on what to do with the money like build a new hq, building or center.
If the aim is to really improve.everyone’s chances in the.future, the aim should be.efficiency in operations. However, being in government, they are forced to give considerations thru excuses. Kind of.like offering bonuses to executives who chose.to.move from the.private sector.into.the.sss.
I do.not agree with that. They should only.dole out bonuses when the sss/gsis is able to exceed projectsd profit targets.
Say for year 10 they target to earn 10b php. They ended up raising.12b through good investment decisions and streamlining.operations.
The bonuses.should be based.on a portiin if the excess. So that would be 2b. But not.only that, the 2b php should be throughout the whole of sss/gsis, not just for the executives because tye who performed better than expectations. It would just be a matter ot tiering the percentage of the bonuses for everyone. No one is deemed greater that the sum of the company’s parts.
The incetives to make profit with current collectiin rates and nit havung to increase the to tweak their.numbers or pad their mistakes
My two Cents.
sir, ask ko lang after paying 20 years or 120 monthly payments, automatic n bang mg pension or do i have to wait until I get 60 years old? ang hirap mgtanung sa SSS, suplado sila, baka ma high blood lang ako don.. tnx
It is not new news , on the large bonuses of heads of private corporations, and on government corporations. The Wall Street firms in New York, U.S.A.; had done that a few years ago. They have U.S. $700 million bonuses. Their pay are also enormous. ” Greed is good. for lack of better term. It works; from Wall Street movie.”The question is: are they really worth that pay? Can you spend U.S. $700 million in your lifetime?
We have greedy politicians and a greedy President, who have a sticky fingers on Pork Barrels. Now, we have greedy government corporation executives. Where will this greed end?
I used to read De Quiros’ articles because they were entertaining as well as insightful especially in the past. But not anymore when PNOY became president. He has turned into a political lapdog and like his boss, self-righteous and holier-than-thou they declare themselves the untouchables and self-declares that they are morally right and all those who oppose are enemies of the state. Why? What or who gave them that title or moral compass? One thing I learned while I was in the government, it really is a public service. You serve not for personal gain (monetary-wise). And until our laws will be amended to fix the glitches on the proper compensation especially on the exceutive level (to make it more competitive
as compared to private companies) one will have to accept like it or not the compensation the government offers and not compare it with the private sector. Or else don’t go into government service at all and stay private. So for the SSS execs who chose to SERVE in the government, don’t expect and get more than what is there. No under the tables, no extra bonuses. There is no excuses when you choose to shortchange the beneficiaries
just to satisfy your whims and extra benefits “because you did your job.” Walang utang na loob ang mga contributors sa inyo. In fact, you owe it to us because you get your benefits from our contributions and hard-earned money. For Conrado de Quiros, don’t try to justify your brother and the incompetencies of this administration. You don’t monopolize the goodness and morality of the country. May mga sariling isip ang mga tao at nakikita kung ano ang ginagawa o hindi ginagawa ng gobyerno. Anyway, how can you say “Whats in a name?” Everything’s in a name. If you want change yours or your brothers so people won’t have to associate you with him or he with you. Or if both of you insist then one of you should resign.
I COMPLETELY agree with you on all your points, Lizza! Mabuhay ka!!! Did you say you used to be in the government? I hope all government employees and officials will follow your lead, especially concerning the fact that holding a government post is a PUBLIC SERVICE and should not be expected to make one reap the sky-high benefits that one would reap with a post in a private company. Isn’t there anyone out there who’ll do excellently as SSS head but who’ll do it out of a desire to serve his/her people and not to enrich him/herself? If there isn’t, then the Philippines is doomed….
Has he made the SSS profitable? Has he made the SSS viable? Has he put the SSS in a position to give more and better service?
Yes.
Is P1 Million bonus moral? ABSOLUTELY NO!
i wonder what happened to “kasamang conrad” or komrad. with his pen connection to malacanang, specifically pnoy, he became one of aquino’s leading trumpet. defending aquino to the max aas well as their kkkkk. like ronald llamas, conrad seems to be drunk feasting with the power they got form aquino. de quiroses are all in government agencies now with their partners gaining the same priveleges. simple lang ang ginawa ni emilio de quiros sa sss, NAGSAMATALA SA PERA NG MGA MIYEMBRO. SSS NOW MEANS SOBRANG SUWAPANG SA SALAPI NG BAYAN!
Sir, the discussion on the SSS bla bla can go this way and that. The fact remains I have not, despite my applying for it in April 2013, received my SSS lump sum pension. Neither did I receive any explanation for the delay. Bonuses or no bonuses, those SSS employees better explain to me and those like me who have not received what is my/our due. Do I really have to follow up on that, that which is due me? What is their salary for? No funds? No energy? In a restaurant that fails to serve water, someone wrote in his comment: it would be nice if I do not have to beg for water…
I am disappointed that SSS President Emil de Quiros is creating a poor impression because of the inefficiency or anomalies of his office, perhaps casting a shadow on his brother Conrad who heretofore has been enjoying prestige and general public trust. It seems some SSS pensions are being suspended for reasons poorly announced by the SSS, and even after compliance of requirements, reimbursements are not remitted to the assigned bank depositories, thereby depriving the pensioner of his rights to social security. Without money to buy food, medicine, etc., the pensioner is unjustly treated by SSS, whose officials pay themselves bonuses indecently huge. This report aims to call the attention of Conrad, that he may help reform his brother’s image and save the De Quiros name.
Yeah. Save that pristine De Quiros name:
http://getrealphilippines.com/2011/02/antonio-trillanes-is-conrado-de-quiross-new-aragorn/
http://getrealphilippines.com/2012/01/conrado-de-quiros-is-a-proud-communist/
http://getrealphilippines.com/2011/12/tarzan-king-of-the-apes-versus-the-inquirer-dot-net-columnists/