All the Contract of Service Workers (COSW) and Job Orders (JO) personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 1 (DSWD FO1) are now ensured of social security protection under the Expanded Self-Employed Program of the Social Security System (SSS).

This is after the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between and among the DSWD FO1, Social Welfare Employees Association of the Philippines (SWEAP) Field Office 1 Chapter and the SSS, recently.

The self-employed program of the SSS is applicable to the COSW and JO personnel employed in the government but not covered under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for such personnel to have protection against the hazards of disability, sickness, maternity, old age, death, and other contingencies that the SSS offers.

Hence, it was agreed upon by the SSS, DSWD FO1, and SWEAP FO1 Chapter to give full support to the voluntary coverage of regular, casual, contractual, COSW and JOs as Self-Employed Member of the Social Security System. The DSWD will deduct the monthly contributions and loan amortization of the employees to SSS and remit to the latter for as long as they are employed with the DSWD.

The collection of the monthly contributions and loan amortizations of the COSW and JO personnel is now pursued after the formal agreement and partnership between the two agencies.

This endeavour is the initiative of DSWD FO1 and SWEAP FO1 Chapter to ensure the welfare of all employees regardless of their appointment status. All COSW and JO personnel can now regularly pay their contributions and continuously receive their benefits from SSS especially those who are assigned in far flung areas, without compromising their work or time. (By: Jaesem Ryan A. Gaces, Administrative Assistant III, Listahanan/NHTS-PR).