Amid a sea of differing opinions from labor organizations and industrial groups, Labor Minister Milton Ray Guevara has said that the system will begin on 1 February. Guevara explained to reporters from Hoy and El Caribe that the contributions to the system will begin with the affiliation to the newly created pension fund companies (AFPs) and the certification of the health risk insurer companies (ARSs). Guevara said that on Saturday social security numbers will be assigned, ID cards will be issued, and employers will submit their lists of employees. Contributions to certain funds will begin in June, according to the labor minister, and over 10,000 businesses have been formally registered with the system.
