SSS targets faster processing for retirement, death benefits

MANILA, Philippines - State-run Social Security System aims to significantly reduce the processing time of its services such as the delivery of retirement and death benefits to members in the next five years.

SSS president and chief executive officer Emilio de Quiros Jr. told The STAR the pension fund plans to implement the program by hiring more employees and establishing more branches nationwide.

 “It’s a combination of more frontline personnel, more branches, and efficient and automated processes,” de Quiros said.

Under a five-year program, SSS expects to cut down the current 39-day average of processing retirement benefits to 18 by next year and to 13 by 2017.

Death payments, meanwhile, which at present take 62 days for processing are expected to be delivered in 28 days by next year and in only 18 days by 2017.

The pension fund has also planned to cut the working days needed for its social security disability service from the current 31 days to 23 days by next year and to 15 by 2017.

The same is expected for the employees’ compensation program for disability as the processing time is planned to be decreased from 49 days at present to 23 days by next year and to 15 days by 2017.

By 2018 and 2019, these four frontline services should be delivered within 10 working days under the roadmap drawn by the SSS.

The processing time for sickness, maternity, funeral, and granting of loans is also expected to be reduced under this roadmap.

The targets under the roadmap are expected to be met following a reorganization of the SSS earlier this year.

The Governance Commission for Government Owned or Controlled Corporations in July approved rearrangements and restricting in the pension fund’s branch operations sector and medical services division.

The exercise was meant to improve the delivery of services especially for membership coverage, collections, accessibility, and processing time.