TESDA job orders, contractual workers to get SSS coverage

May 19, 2025

Some 3,000 job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) are set to receive social security protection from the Social Security System (SSS).

 

This after TESDA Secretary Kiko Benitez and SSS President and CEO Robert Joseph Montes De Claro signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) last April 22 at the TESDA Central Office in Taguig City.

 

The KaSSSangga Collect Program encourages COS and JO workers to register as self-employed members of SSS, giving them access to essential benefits such as sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, death, funeral, and loan privileges.

 

Under the agreement, TESDA will assign liaison officers to coordinate with SSS and assist COS, JO, and regular employees in their registration and contribution payment processes.

 

The agency will facilitate the automatic deduction and remittance of contributions from the salaries, wages, or fees of its personnel. TESDA will also disseminate relevant SSS information across all its offices and regularly monitor the remittance and posting of contributions.

 

“TESDA stands as SSS’s “kasangga” in implementing the KaSSSangga Collect Program for our employees. We are safeguarding our people against the many uncertainties of life. Disability, sickness, maternity, old age, death, and other circumstances that often lead to loss of income or financial hardship,” Secretary Benitez said during the event.

 

“Basta para sa ikabubuti ng ating mga TESDAn, syempre gusto natin ‘yan. Kaya salamat po sa lahat ng mga nasa likod ng Memorandum of Agreement na ito,” the TESDA chief added.

 

The SSS expressed its full support for the administration’s one government approach through its partnership with TESDA, and is looking forward to further collaborations, including a potential pilot program that could support TESDA graduates of entrepreneurial courses through livelihood loans.

"SSS is an institution—I believe there are a lot of things that we can collaborate. We are in the midst of defining our livelihood loan program for SSS members... baka pwedeng SSS can be part of that program," De Claro said.

 

The MOA signing follows a series of nationwide orientations and registration activities facilitated by TESDA’s Human Resource Management Division - Administrative Service, which informed over 1,100 JO personnel on the benefits and processes of SSS membership.