SSS releases P3M to kin of NCCC fire victims

THE Social Security System (SSS) has released around P3 million worth of death and funeral benefits to the families of the 38 victims who perished in the New City Commercial Center (NCCC) fire incident December last year.

In Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at The Annex Building, SM City Davao, SSS Public Information Officer Mario Daray said that all the families of the victims who died in the fire have claimed the benefits after completing all the necessary requirements.

Through the special counter for families of the fire victims that they set up in the wake of the incident, families were given an avenue where they can expedite the process and do transact the SSS benefits of their demise relative.

Based on their record, as of March 14, the SSS pension fund released P862,606.15 worth of funeral grants to the families of the 38 SSS members and P2.4 million worth of death benefits for the 36 beneficiaries.

Daray said there are only 36 because two of the victims have not filed their SSS application.

He said SSS President

and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc did prioritize the release of their benefits to help the families in facilitating the funeral of their relative.

“We are saddened by the untimely demise of the 38 members. SSS hopes that with the release of death and funeral benefits, we were able to help them provide a decent funeral for their loved ones, as well as give them support to their everyday needs,” Dooc said.

There are a total of 38 SSS members who died in the NCCC fire and 37 of them were employees of Survey Sampling International (SSI) and the other one was an NCCC Mall employee.

The death benefit could be given through the monthly pension; and the lump sum amount. The monthly pension is granted only to the primary beneficiaries of a deceased member who had paid 36 monthly contributions before the semester of death.

On one hand, the SSS Funeral Benefit is the amount given to whomever pays the burial expenses of the deceased SSS member or pensioner. It could be relatives or not as long as they can show proof that they are the one paid the expense. The amount of the funeral grant ranges from a minimum of P20,000 to a maximum of P40,000, depending on the member’s paid contributions and credited years of service. JCR

She described the attacks as "downright cowardly" and indicates that NPA is nothing but a terrorist group that deserves collective rejection and condemnation.

"The NPA’s revolution is one designed to undermine our democracy and development through its brand of egregious violence and extremism," DuterteCarpio said.

She added that the fresh atrocities reveal that the terrorist group intends for people to continue living in poverty, which they could use as a capital in their propaganda against the government and to justify their presence in the communities where their influence and significant are waning.

The city mayor also said that it is also worth noting that the group's recent attacks were also carried out as a retaliatory action to the refusal of the construction companies involved in the projects to give in to the pressure of extortion by the NPAs.

"The military and the police have already been tasked to conduct appropriate actions regarding this," she said.

The city mayor also reiterated her appeal to condemn the terrorist group.

"Let me reiterate my previous appeal to the people of Davao and to our partners in the peace and development movement— let us support our soldiers and police and let us openly condemn NPA as a terrorist group," she said.

Meanwhile, aside from the city mayor, Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza also aired his condemnation on the recent attacks.

"We condemn in the strongest way the senseless destruction of heavy equipment in Davao City over the last few days by suspected armed elements of the New People’s Army," Dureza said in his Facebook Post.

"The fact that the three consecutive attacks happened during the observance of Holy Week all the more angers us," he added.

Dureza said these attacks unnecessary squanders whatever gains they are quietly getting lately in their common efforts with the Communist Party of the Philippines/NPA/National Democratic Front (CPP/NPA/NDF) leadership just to achieve peace through the negotiations table.

"As we have been emphasizing, the presence of an enabling environment will be the sole determining factor for the resumption of peace talks. We are therefore saddened by the consequent setback these attacks bring to our efforts" he added.

"The incident will not only cause delay to the project that will benefit the people but will also adversely affect the livelihood of the people employed to operate these pieces of equipment," Eastmincom commander Lieutenant General Benjamin Madrigal Jr. said in a statement

Major Ezra Balagtey, Public Information Officer of Eastmincom said Madrigal had already ordered the 10th Infantry Division (ID) to hunt down the perpetrators of the incident and apprehend them.

“He directed all units under Eastern Mindanao Command to ensure the safety and prevent the delay of government flagship projects in the Command's area of responsibility as a consequence of terroristic activities of the NPA terrorists,” Balagtey said. KVC with JCR