Migrante International
Press release
Migrante International condemned the scheduled contribution rate hike of the Philippine Social Security System (SSS) from 14% to 15% this 2025 on Thursday, claiming that OFWs around the world will struggle under this even heavier burden, as they will be forced to pay for nearly nonexistent social services to keep working abroad.
Migrante argues that this new increase in contributions will most likely go to fund the life of the SSS and the salaries of its board, not any meaningful rise in pensions. The Philippine government has yet to give out its promised Php 1,000 pension increase under Duterte.
“Bumababa na nga ang halaga ng sahod ng ating mga migranteng manggagawa sa labas ng bansa dahil sa tumataas na presyo ng pagkain, kuryente at iba pang batayang serbisyo sa Pilipinas at sa labas bansa, said Josie Pingkihan, Deputy Secretary General of Migrante International. “Ngayon, itataas naman ang singil ng SSS na pinipilit pa din ng gobyerno ni Marcos Jr na bayaran ng ating mga OFWs.”
Napaka-insensitibo ang administrasyon na ito, nilulunod tayo sa mga samu’t saring bayarin at hindi naman natin natatamasa ang maayos na serbisyo,” continued Pingkihan
Migrante argues that the additional penalization of PhilHealth members this year, worth Php4.6 Billion, as a result of the hacking and data breach of PhilHealth in 2023 is an added burden to our migrant workers who are already suffering from the impacts of job insecurity, low wages, and mounting debt.
“Hindi makatarungan na ang mga OFWs at Philhealth members ay paparusahan para sa kapabayaan ng Philhealth. Kinaltasan na nga ni Marcos Jr ang badyet para sa pampublikong serbisyo sa kalusugan, nanakawin pa tayo,” said Pingkihan.
Migrante argued that OFWs and the Filipino people deserve a social security service that prioritizes the wellbeing of the public, not the benefits and perks of the SSS board. The OFW group also advocated for a truly universal public healthcare service, not a corrupt and negligent PhilHealth.
Migrante calls on the Marcos administration to scrap the new SSS rate hikes for OFWs and the public. The group asserted that Marcos must also hold the PhilHealth board accountable for its negligence over the 2023 data breach, and ensure that PhilHealth members will not be punished, but instead be compensated for the data leaks. Migrante reiterated its call to scrap mandatory SSS and PhilHealth contributions for OFWs.###
https://migranteinternational.org/ofws-reject-sss-contribution-rate-hike