Gabriela Women's Party Heightens the Campaign Against Use of SSS Funds, Holds Nationally Coordinated Petition Signing

It's the lonely hearts day, a day before Valentine's Day, for Gabriela Women's Party and Profund when they conducted the nationally coordinated petition signing and pickets at offices of the Social Security System in major cities and provinces today to heighten the campaign to stop the use of the P12.5B SSS funds for the P330B economic stimulus package.

Gabriela Women's Party Secretary General Cristina Palabay said the black hearts that they carried as placards symbolized how the SSS members will be affected with the possible use of their funds. The woman leader said the centers for petition signing were set up and pickets were held at the SSS National Office in Quezon City, where Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza joined members of GWP and Pro-fund, and in SSS offices in Pasig City, Davao City, Laguna, Iloilo City, Bacolod City, and General Santos City.

"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 Malacanang to gamble with the funds of SSS members, most of them workers from the private sector," Palabay said.

Palabay said Mr. Neri has not presented a substantial study whether investments in infrastructure, where the SSS funds were to be utilized, has met the requirements of safety, good yield, at liquidity.

"With Malacanang's wishlist 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 Gabriela Women's Party chapters have already started the petition campaign in factories, particularly those in export processing zones, communities and other workplaces. Together with Pro-fund, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Courage, Migrante, and Anakpawis, an online petition campaign (www.onlinepetition.com/profund). Gabriela Rep. Maza also initiated an online internet campaign through her Facebook account.