Dooc resigns as amended SSS charter takes effect

SOCIAL SECURITY System (SSS) President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc tendered his resignation on Tuesday following the effectivity of the pension fund’s amended charter.
In a statement yesterday, the SSS said Mr. Dooc submitted his resignation letter to President Rodrigo R. Duterte, stepping down “voluntarily and irrevocably.”
“The new SSS Charter took effect, and I was appointed under the old law. Meaning, my term of office expired yesterday,” Mr. Dooc said in a phone interview.
“I voluntarily and irrevocably stepped down from my position, and I informed the President of that effective immediately, so that he would have a free hand to appoint my successor who is deserving and worthy of his trust.”
Under the helm of Mr. Dooc, the 17th chief of the pension fund, he pushed for the passage of Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 in a bid to ensure the long-term viability of the fund’s life.
RA 11199 signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte last Feb. 7 allows the Social Security Commission or the policy-making body of the pension fund to adjust contribution rates and monthly salary credits of its members.
It also introduced new benefits such as the involuntary separation benefit, as well as compulsory coverage of overseas Filipino workers with social security protection.
The management of Mr. Dooc also saw the highest contribution collections from its members, which jumped to a record P181 billion in 2018 from P132 billion in 2015, SSS said.
Apart from these, the SSS under the leadership of Mr. Dooc also launched “member-friendly” programs and innovations such as the Loan Restructuring Program, Calamity Loan Assistance and real-time processing of contributions, the pension fund said.
“I’m happy and I like to think that I’m leaving SSS in a better shape than when I found it. We have a new law, which empowers the SSS to introduce reforms. Our records would show that we have better collection efficiency,” Mr. Dooc added.
Pressed further, the outgoing SSS chief said his resignation is a “matter of delicadeza.”
“Hindi naman ito (This is not) strictly resignation. Nag-expire na ‘yung term ko kasi (My term expired because) I was appointed under the old law.”
He added that he will not recommend people who will next take the position as it is the prerogative of the President.
“I will leave that to the President,” Mr. Dooc said.
Mr. Dooc joined the pension fund in November 2016 after serving as Insurance Commissioner starting 2011. Under his watch as the chief of the Insurance Commission, he led the enactment of the Revised Insurance Code of 2012. — K.A.N. Vidal