Press Release
August 18, 2015

Transcript of interview with Sen. Cynthia Villar
(hearing on bill increasing SSS pension)
August 18, 2015

Q: Pabor kayo na magbigay na lang ng subsidy?

Villar: Yes. Sa GAA lang naman iyong subsidy. Mamimili si presidente kung itataas ang premium, ilagay sa GAA or one-half one-half.

Q: Ilalagay nyo ba sa committee report ninyo na i-subsidize?

Villar: Hindi na, gagayahin ko na lang yung sa House para wala nang bicam para umabot tayo. Siguro October we can adopt the House version para wala nang bicam. Simple lang naman.

Q: Sa House po ba pareho din, subsidized din?

Villar: Hindi naman sinabi doon, basta increase lang ng P2,000.

Q: Paano ang gagawin, kasi ang problema ng SSS bababa ang pondo...

Villar: They have 15 years to do it. It's not today. Malay mo naman maging very successful ang Philippines then balewala na ang subsidy na yun. Maybe in the next 15 years yung mga businesses will expand, SSS will get a lot of contribution. Sabi nga noong 2001, five years na lang ang fund life, ngayon 2042 na. So that can happen also.

Q: Tuloy po na from 11%, magiging 15% ang premium?

Villar: Hindi. We just increase by P2,000. Kanila nang problema iyon. Besides, it's the policy of the President. Whether they like to burden business and present employees or they want to subsidize.

Q: Yung bill na ipapasa ninyo, kelan po magiging effective?

Villar: Siguro ma-sign ni President before December.

Q: Reasonable na po ba yung P2,000?

Villar: That is 3,000 to 5,000, they are not living below the poverty line. Hindi mo na masasabi na pobre, after all they worked 20 years to get it. Hindi naman iyan napunta sa kanila out of nothing.

Q: Approved in committee level na yung bill increasing SSS pension?

Villar: Oo, para sa mga nanay natin at tatay natin.

Q: Nag-oobject po kanina ang SSS...

Villar: Syempre. Yung fund life daw will move from 2042 to 2029. But that's 15 years from now, they can still do a lot of things and I don't mind government subsidizing. Huwag naman P3,000, that's below poverty line. Inakyat lang natin a little above poverty line na 5,000. And besides, nagsa-subsidize tayo ng iba, bakit hindi natin isa-subsidize iyong matatanda na nagtrabaho for 20 years? Hindi naman nila ito hinihingi for nothing. They worked 20 years to deserve this. Sila ang magandang bigyan, may listahan talaga, legitimate. Iyong iba nga nating sina-subsidize hindi natin alam kung sino-sino yun eh.

Q: Ang i-increase po sa pension ay P2,000?

Villar: P2,000 across the board.

Q: How many retirees are there?

Villar: 1.8 million.

Q: So magkano po iyon?

Villar: Parang computation ko something like P36 B.

Q: This is additional because of the P2,000?

Villar: Yes. They have income naman. Parang negative 4B a year lang sila. Ipa-subsidize nila sa gobyerno. Nakita ko ang subsidy nila, ang lalaki. Yung sa ating DSWD na subsidy ang laki.

Q: I-eendorse nyo na po ito at gagawan ng committee report?

Villar: Yes, next week siguro. I-adopt namin yung House version para wala nang bicam. Simple lang ang House version, it's just P2,000 across the board.

Q: You are expecting the support of colleagues?

Villar: Sino naman ang hindi magsu-support? Sinasabi ko nga sa kanila kung yung House na elected by district, hindi naman masyadong pinapansin ng district iyang national legislation, naipasa nila. Kami pa na national constituency hindi namin maipapasa? Sino naman would like to be known na hindi sumuporta for the 1.8 million retirees. Hindi naman magandang tingnan iyon.

Q: Ang usapin po dyan bawas sa pondo ng SSS.

Villar: 15 years pa yun. Sabi nung isang retired, noon daw 2001, five years na life ang SSS pero na-extend sa 2042. Marami pang magagwa, it's 2029 pa. Malayo pa.

Q: Sabi ng SSS they are agreeable to increase the pension but will increase contribution from 11% to 15%?

Villar: Last time na-increase nila sa 11% thru an executive order. Humingi sila ng Executive Order or kung ayaw ni Pres. PNoy na mag-EO, ipalagay niya sa GAA ang subsidy. There are many ways to do it. Hindi naman kailangang ibigay ang full, may pera naman sila, nabawasan lang. hindi naman kailangang i-subsidize lahat, a portion lang.

Q: Yung sa ACEF po i-eendorse nyo rin?

Villar: Iyan ang medyo mahirap. Aayusin namin para hindi ma-abuse. Tatlo lang naman ang ipapasa ko, yung declaring agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage, tapos increase ng SSS, and extension of ACEF. It will expire by December so we have to extend it. Pero iyan ang medyo mahirap kasi aayusin mo yung guidelines para hindi ma-abuse.

News Latest News Feed