BY BULATLAT

Heightening the campaign to stop the use of the Social Security System (SSS) funds for the P330 billion economic stimulus package, groups held a nationally-coordinated petition signing and picket protests in front of the offices of the SSS in major cities and provinces today

SSS Chief Romulo Neri earlier announced that P12.5 billion of SSS funds will be utilized for the Arroyo administration’s P330-billion economic stimulus package.

Gabriela Women’s Party and Pro-fund led the petition signing and picket protests held in Quezon City, Pasig City, Davao City, Laguna, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, and General Santos City.

Gabriela Representatives Liza Maza joined members of Gabriela Women’s Party and Pro-fund at the SSS national office in Quezon City.

Cristina Palabay, Gabriela Women’s Party secretary general, said, “We are urging the Social Security Commission members to decide against the use of what can be considered as private funds of SSS members for public use. Amidst the massive lay-offs and depressed wages of workers with the effects of the global financial crisis, it is highly questionable for SSS Chief Romulo Neri and Malacañang to gamble with the funds of SSS members, most of them workers from the private sector.”

“With Malacañang’s wish list of big-ticket projects vulnerable to corruption for these investments, there is great doubt if this would redound to return of investments for the SSS members,” Palabay added.

Palabay said their chapters have already started the petition campaign in factories, particularly those in export processing zones, communities and other workplaces. The group also initiated an online petition campaign. (Bulatlat.com)