In a significant step toward strengthening social security coverage, SSS President and CEO Robert Joseph Montes De Claro and DoubleDragon Corporation Chairman Edgar “Injap” Sia II have formally signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), designating DoubleDragon as a Contribution Subsidy Provider under the SSS Contribution Subsidy Provider Program (CSPP).
De Claro expressed his deep appreciation to Chairman Sia for answering the call of the Social Security System (SSS) to support Filipino workers and their families. Through this partnership, DoubleDragon will fully subsidize the SSS contributions of 2,000 informal sector workers in Iloilo City and Roxas City for 12 months, amounting to a total commitment of ₱18.2 million. This initiative directly addresses financial barriers that prevent workers from accessing crucial social security benefits.
“This subsidy will not only provide social security coverage for 2,000 recipients but will also extend its benefits to their families,” De Claro emphasized. “By becoming an SSS Contribution Subsidy Provider, DoubleDragon is empowering informal sector workers with a financial safety net, ensuring their access to SSS benefits in times of need.”
De Claro also highlighted the long-standing relationship between SSS and DoubleDragon, recalling that nearly three decades ago, Sia took out a corporate loan from SSS in 1997. Since then, SSS has continued to participate in DoubleDragon’s capital market issuances, making this new partnership a meaningful full-circle moment.
Under the CSPP, SSS collaborates with private and government entities willing to cover the SSS contributions of self-employed workers, land-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and voluntary SSS members for a minimum of six consecutive months.
As a CSPP partner, DoubleDragon aims to make a lasting impact on the lives of informal sector workers who often struggle with financial stability.
“I would like to thank PCEO Jay (De Claro) for this initiative, which allows entrepreneurs like me to pay it forward and help thousands of our countrymen who need a lift in life,” Sia said.
Sia reflected on his own journey, noting that the SSS played a key role in his early entrepreneurial success by providing the corporate loan that helped him build a 59-room hotel in Iloilo City in 1997. Now, 28 years later, he remains deeply grateful and looks forward to a continued and meaningful partnership with SSS to uplift Filipino workers.