SSS to provide easier access to services, transactions in the cities of Legazpi and Ligao

LEGAZPI CITY --- The Social Security System (SSS) on Tuesday signed multiple agreements with Hon. Carmen Geraldine B. Rosal, the City Mayor, and Attorney Mariet Belgica-Cledera, the City Legal Officer, to bring its services closer to the 2,544 members working in the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Legazpi City.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said that SSS inked an agreement with LGU Legazpi, Land Transportation Office Regional Office V, and Sincere Women Admired by Responsible Men Association Inc. (SWARM). These agreements will facilitate the maintenance of active SSS membership, ensure timely contribution and loan payments, and provide convenient access to SSS online services and transactions for their workers who are also SSS members.

“Employed members have limited time to leave their posts since they work on full-time schedules. With the establishment of localized e-Center as an LGU program, their workers, whether permanent employees or job order and contract of service workers, can go directly to the kiosk in the same workplace during breaks and after work, making it easier for them to access My.SSS accounts and complete their online transactions,” Macasaet said.

Mayor Rosal expressed her delight with the benefits her local employees will receive from the program.

“It is a great opportunity that SSS can extend assistance to us and our employed members, regardless of the nature of their appointment, especially those who are assigned to offices with large numbers of transacting constituents. With this program, it will be more convenient and faster to complete their transaction,” Rosal said.

Under the MOA, Macasaet said that the workers can access the SSS E-Centers anytime to apply for a Social Security (SS) number online; register to the My.SSS portal through the SSS Website; reset the account password; access their membership records; update their contact information; enroll their preferred disbursement accounts through members’ Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM); generate a Payment Reference Number (PRN) for contribution and loan payments; view contribution and loan records; and apply for salary loan and ConsoLoan, if with past-due short-term member loans. Further, filing of various benefit claims such as sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, funeral, and death (for surviving spouse only) claims are available via the My.SSS member portal.

Meanwhile, Macasaet also observed a key partnership with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Regional Office V, aimed at providing social security protection and services to 70 of their workers.

He said that job order (JO) and contract of service (COS) workers in LTO, who are not covered under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), will be registered as SSS self- employed members under the KaSSSangga Collect Program.

“Although they are not eligible to receive the benefits of regular government employees, the SSS is happy to extend meaningful social security protection services not only to the JO/COS personnel of LTO but their families,” Macasaet said.

Under the agreement, Macasaet said LTO Region V should deduct the Social Security (SS) and Employees’ Compensation (EC) contributions from the worker’s payroll and remit these to the SSS through a salary deduction scheme. The program will start with an initial batch of 22 JO/COS workers.

He explained that as self-employed members of SSS, they will become entitled to receive social security benefits such as sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, funeral, and death. They may also apply for various SSS loan programs, including salary and calamity, among others.

“Also, they can avail of a compensation package under the Employees’ Compensation (EC) Program for work-related sickness, injury, or death,” he added.

Furthermore, Macasaet formally witnessed the partnership between SSS and the Sincere Women Admired by Responsible Men Association Inc. (SWARM), which will ensure social security coverage for 95 target beneficiaries of this non-governmental and non-sectarian organization.

“We would like to commend the officials of SWARM for expressing their interest in securing the welfare of their members and families and the community. We share the same advocacy to provide social security protection not only to its members but also to their beneficiaries,” Macasaet said.

The SSS AlkanSSSya Program is a micro-savings scheme launched in 2012 that enables Informal Sector Group (ISG) members such as farmers, fisherfolks, and other workers who have irregular income to save a part of their daily income through a personalized metal compartment for their monthly SSS contributions.

Macasaet and other executives, along with local officials, convened with 300 employers, human resource representatives, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), barangay officials, pensioners, and other stakeholders at The Hotel Oriental in Legazpi City. The gathering focused on discussing the value of SSS membership and the various programs and services SSS offers to its stakeholders.

During the forum, they responded to members’ queries and concerns about loan and benefit applications, mandatory and voluntary provident fund payments, online services, benefit applications, and account management processes.

He added that participants enjoyed a lively question-and-answer interaction where they could freely raise concerns about their SSS membership records. “For quick verification, our standby branch personnel assisted them directly to our offsite E-Center. Further, a standby medical team, with the presence of the medical specialists, was also present to cater both for the participants’ issues on medical claims such as maternity, sickness, and disability and for immediate medical services,” Macasaet concluded.