Today marks the birth of our SSS column in RNG Luzon’s online page. On behalf of SSS, I am beyond grateful for this opportunity of providing us a new avenue where we can inform our members, pensioners, and beneficiaries on the current SSS programs and updates.
While writing this article, SSS membership is rapidly growing. Based on our records as of December 2020, SSS has over 38 million registered employed, self-employed, voluntary and Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) members. SSS also has recorded nearly one million active employers and over 2.82 million pensioners.
For those who have been religiously paying their SSS contribution, the most common question is what are the benefits and privileges that they can get from being an SSS member? Majority of our members are still unaware of the SSS benefits and privileges despite of our massive information campaigns in broadcast, print, and social media. That is why we will have quick rundown of the seven Social Security benefits and four privileges for this week’s column.
An SSS member can enjoy seven benefits under the Social Security (SS) Program in his lifetime. These are: Maternity Benefit for female members, SSS Sickness Benefit, Unemployment Insurance Benefit, Disability Benefit, Retirement Benefit, Funeral Claim, and Death Benefit.
Apart from these seven benefits, members may also avail of loan privileges such as Salary Loan, Calamity Loan, Educational Assistance Loan and Social and Development Loans.
SSS Maternity Benefit is a daily cash allowance granted to female members who have given birth or suffer miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy. Now that the Expanded Maternity Leave Law is being implemented, members who gave birth either via Normal or Caesarean Delivery will be paid cash benefits equivalent to 105-days. Meanwhile, single parents will be given additional 15 days for a total of 120-day cash benefit. For emergency termination of pregnancy or miscarriage including stillbirth, SSS will pay maternity benefits equivalent to 60 days.
The second benefit is the SSS Sickness Benefit. It is a cash benefit granted to members who were unable to work due to sickness or injury.
Third benefit is the Unemployment Insurance. It was launched last March 2019 to provide cash benefit to members who are involuntarily separated from employment.
SSS also provides Disability Benefit to members who incurred either permanent partial or permanent total disability. Permanent Partial Disability are complete and permanent loss or use of body parts such as a thumb, finger, toe, hand, arm, foot, leg, one or both ears, hearing of one or both ears and sight of one eye. Meanwhile, examples of Permanent Total Disabilities include complete loss of sight of both eyes, loss of two limbs at or above the ankle or wrists, permanent
complete paralysis of two limbs, brain injury resulting to incurable imbecility or insanity and other cases as determined and approved by SSS.
Long term benefits include Retirement, Death, and Funeral. SSS Death and Funeral are entirely different benefits. Funeral Claim is granted to whoever paid the funeral expenses of the deceased member amounting to P20,000 to P40,000 while death Benefit is being given to the deceased member’s beneficiaries either through lumpsum or lifetime pension for the survivor pensioner.
Retirement Benefit is the most popular form of SSS pension. The said cash benefit can be received either through lump sum or lifetime monthly pension.
Apart from these seven benefits from SSS, all employed and self-employed members may also avail of the Employee’s Compensation or EC. It is an additional cash benefit granted to employed and self-employed members who met an accident causing them sickness, disability, or death while performing their official functions. EC Program also covers government employee and all uniformed and non-uniformed personnel.
Aside from these benefits, SSS also offers various short-term loan programs. Salary loan is the most popular loan program in SSS. In fact, over 1.27 million borrowers benefitted from this program last year.
SSS also offers Calamity Loan to extend additional financial assistance to affected members in times of natural calamities and armed conflicts while Educational Assistance Loan Program aims to support members’ beneficiaries in their educational expenses. Members also have the option to avail of the Social and Development Loans if they wish to upgrade or enhance their businesses. The loanable amount will always depend on the amount of contribution.
After presenting all the SSS benefits and privileges, our members can now realize the value of their SSS membership. Like we always say, SSS membership is equivalent to lifetime benefits—specifically from womb to tomb. Next column I will discuss their applicable qualifying conditions. Good day!
