PUMALO na sa P35.84 billion ang kabuuang member savings collection mula sa Workers’ Investment and Savings Program (WISP). Ang nasabing koleksyon ay mula sa 4.9 milyong miyembro ng pension fund sa panahon ng pangalawang taon ng implementasyon ng programa.
Sa isang kalatas, sinabi ni SSS president at CEO Rolando Ledesma Macasaet na ang savings collection sa ilalim ng WISP ay mahigit pa sa doble mula ng magsimula ang programa noong 2021.
“From January to December 2021, we initially collected P15.48 billion. In 2022, the savings collection grew by 31% to P20.4 billion which brought the total WISP contributions to P35.84 billion,” ani Macasaet.
Aniya pa, ang mga miyembro na nag-contribute sa WISP ay lumago sa 4.9 million contributing members, tumaas ng 33% mula 3.7 milyong miyembro noong 2021.
Ang WISP ay isang mandatory provident fund scheme na pinangangasiwaan ng SSS, nagsisilbi bilang panibagong savings o ipon para sa private-sector workers at iba pang individual paying members na inilunsad noong Enero 2021.
Pino-promote nito ang prinsipyo ng “Work, Save, Invest and Prosper” upang sa gayon, ang mga miyembro ay magkaroon ng “better retirement package” maliban sa kanilang regular SSS benefit.
Ang WISP ay “one of the key provisions under Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.”
“It is a safe, convenient, principal-protected, and tax-free individual retirement savings plan which will supplement a member’s savings from their regular Social Security program,” ayon sa ulat.
“Under the WISP, each contributing member will have an account wherein SSS will place their contributions and investment earnings. Not only are they saving for their retirement, but their contributions are also earning through the program,” ayon naman kay Macasaet.
Ang mga kuwalipikado ani Macasaet ay iyong mga private-sector employees, self-employed individuals, OFWs, at voluntary members na walang “final claim” at mayroong kontribusyon sa regular SSS program, at mayroong Monthly Salary Credit (MSC) na lampas sa P20,000.
Ang mga miyembro ay nagbabayad ng kanilang WISP contributions kasama ang kanilang regular SSS contributions.
Maliban sa magsilbi bilang savings scheme, sinabi ni Macasaet na tungkulin din ng programa ang tumayo bilang investment vehicle para sa SSS members.
“The SSS pools the contributions collected from the program and invests them in the capital markets. Earnings realized from the WISP will be distributed proportionately based on the member’s contributions. Members can check their WISP contribution online through their My.SSS account,” ayon kay Macasaet sabay sabing “Members can log in on their online account. Go to the Inquiry tab and click on Contributions to view their contributions in the WISP as well as their contributions in the regular Social Security program and WISP Plus.”
“The program had a good start with a 6.39% return on investment (ROI) in 2021 and an estimated 3.4% ROI in 2022. It outperformed the balance fund market benchmarks, which were 0.15% and -1.25% in 2021 and 2022, respectively. This indicates that members’ savings invested in WISP will generate decent earnings, which will be added to their total contributions. Consequently, when they retire, they will receive higher benefits from the program,” ang dagdag na wika ni Macasaet. (Daris Jose)
