The Makabayan partylist group is seeking a Temporary Restraining Order from the Supreme Court against the increase in Social Security System premiums from 10.4 percent to 11 percent, which took effect this month.

Makabayan Regional Coordinator Alejandro Deoma said that once the SC issues the TRO they will file a petition for permanent injunction so the increase will no longer be implemented.

Deoma said multi-sectoral organizations under Makabayan is set to hold a protest in front of the SSS compound today to urge the agency to collect the remittances that some employers failed to remit.

He said that in their estimate is that the amount of remittances that some employers failed to pay to SSS could reach P98 billion as of last year.

Deoma added that their group is also calling the officials who got millions of bonuses to return them as ordered by the Commission on Audit because it's unfair that while it takes time for an ordinary member to avail of loans in small amounts these officials are enjoying exorbitant bonuses. Winnie Sancho, the labor representative to the Regional Tri-partite Wages and Productivity Board, earlier said increase in SSS premium is an additional burden to workers whose purchasing power will be eroded and their take home pay reduced.

In a statement it issued, the SSS said the increase is equivalent to a total contribution of P285 for an employee whose monthly compensation is from P2,250 to P2,749 and employee's share in the P285 is P90.80 while the employer chips in P194.20.

Private sector employees who earn more than P15,750 per month in compensation income, will have a total contribution of P1,790, for the employee's share of P581.30 and employer's share will be P1,208.70.

Meanwhile, BAYAN Negros staged a rally at the city's main thoroughfares yesterday calling for the abolition of Electric Power Industry Reform Act because according to them the law has become futile.

Christian Tuayon, Bayan Negros chairman, said the EPIRA failed to stop the successive increases in power costs in the past weeks.

Tuayon said it is already high time that the government regulate the control of private corporations on public utility firms because it is one of the reasons why successive price increases in water, electricity and petroleum could not be stopped.

The protest of Bayan was simultaneous with the mass actions of their counter parts in other provinces while the hearing for the price hike petition of Meralco was ongoing yesterday.*APN

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