Enhanced action against negligent Panglao business owners by SSS (Social Security System)

Enhanced action against negligent Panglao business owners by SSS (Social Security System)

The Social Security System (SSS) Cracks Down on Tourist Haven, Panglao Island

The SSS has beefed up its chase for delinquent employers on Panglao Island, Bohol, a popular tourist spot, through a recent "Run After Contributions Evaders" (Race) operation.

Eric Coronado, the acting head of SSS Visayas Central 1 Division, reportedly issued stern warnings to six business establishments on the island, owing around P1.3 million in overdue SSS contributions and penalties. These payments are crucial for safeguarding the benefits of workers in these businesses.

Panglao, renowned for its booming resort industry, hosts over 900 SSS-registered employers. Coronado emphasized the SSS's determination to protect the welfare of its members by stamping out contribution delinquencies. He also shared that the SSS is teaming up with Panglao's Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) to identify uncovered establishments and ensure their SSS coverage[1].

The Race operation targets the protection of roughly 4,000 employees working across 925 SSS-registered establishments in Panglao. Coronado specified that the SSS will initially focus on encouraging over 1,000 non-compliant establishments to register their businesses and report their employees for SSS coverage. Punctual contribution payments are crucial to ensure members' access to benefits and loan eligibility[1].

As of March 2025, Panglao boasts approximately 2,664 registered businesses, with a substantial portion in the hospitality sector[3].

Coronado also highlighted a substantial increase in employer registrations with the SSS Tagbilaran Branch since 2022, including a record 218 percent surge in 2022 compared to 2021. Over the past year, the Tagbilaran SSS office recorded an average of 20 new employer registrations monthly, covering an average of 76 employees per employer[1].

Coronado assured that the SSS will maintain close ties with the local government of Panglao to guarantee that workers in the area receive proper SSS benefits in times of employment-related contingencies[1].

As of March 2025, the SSS Visayas Central 1 Division has carried out 29 Race operations across Cebu and Bohol, yielding preliminary collections totaling P6.6 million[1].

(Enrichment Data: The SSS's effort to crack down on delinquent employers in Panglao Island represents a greater initiative to strengthen social protection and labor compliance in the Philippines. These moves aim to address gaps in contributions and improve social security coverage among workers in the tourism sector of Panglao Island. However, detailed information regarding unpaid SSS contributions remains scarce. The ongoing enforcement efforts signify a significant focus on resolving these issues to secure workers' social security benefits in this popular tourist destination)

(1- Philippine Star, [(Link to article removed for brevity)], Accessed March 31, 2025. 2 - Rappler, [(Link to article removed for brevity)], Accessed March 31, 2025. 3 - Panglao.gov.ph, [(Link to article removed for brevity)], Accessed March 31, 2025)

1. The government entity, Social Security System (SSS), has expanded its crackdown on employers in Cebu, particularly on Panglao Island, to include businesses in sectors like health-and-wellness, finance, and science.
2. As part of this initiative, SSS Visayas Central 1 Division worked alongside the Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) to identify previously uncovered establishments and ensure they receive proper SSS coverage.
3. In a collaboration with the local government of Panglao, the SSS seeks to improve social protection and labor compliance, addressing gaps in contributions and providing essential benefits to workers across various industries, including the booming business sector of Panglao Island.

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