NEARLY P157 billion in retirement benefits was released by the Social Security System (SSS) to 2.2 million members in 2023, making it the most availed benefit package of the agency.
SSS Vice President for Benefits Administration Division Joy Villacorta said in a statement that of the 4.7 million benefits disbursed to pensioners, members and their beneficiaries in 2023, nearly half, or 47 percent, received retirement benefits.
The P156.7 billion in retirement benefits to 2.2 million payees in 2023 is 10.7 percent higher than the P141.5 billion given to over 2 million payees in 2022.
Majority of these payees (87.46 percent of the total) are pensioners, Villacorta said.
"Retirement benefit is a cash benefit being granted by SSS to a member who can no longer work due to old age. Members who paid at least 120 monthly contributions will get a lifetime monthly pension while those with less than 120 monthly contributions will receive a one-time lump sum amount," Villacorta said.
Meanwhile, she said that death benefits came in second with a total release of P70.1 billion to 1.4 million beneficiaries in 2023, slightly lower than the P70.2 billion to 1.3 million beneficiaries in 2022.
"SSS grants cash benefits to beneficiaries of a deceased member. Deceased SSS members with 36 monthly contributions will entitle their beneficiaries to a monthly pension. In comparison, beneficiaries of those with less than 36 monthly contributions will get a one-time lump sum amount," she added.
Maternity benefits followed with a disbursement of P14.1 billion to 357,000 members in 2023, up by 9.6 percent from P12.9 billion in 2022.
Female members who have paid at least three monthly contributions in the last 12 months before the semester of childbirth, miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy can avail of the maternity benefit.
As provided in the Expanded Maternity Leave Law (EMLL), the SSS maternity benefit is paid to an eligible member at every instance of her pregnancy since March 2019.
Meanwhile, Villacorta said that disability benefits came in fourth, with P7.5 billion released to over 130,000 members last year, a 16.3 percent increase from the P6.4 billion released in 2022.
"Members who become disabled either partially or totally can receive a monthly pension or lump sum amount under the disability benefit. Members who have paid at least 36 monthly contributions are qualified to get a monthly disability pension, while those with less than 36 monthly contributions will be granted a lump sum amount," she added.
Funeral benefits followed with P4.8 billion reimbursed to 211,000 payees, and sickness benefits with P3.2 billion provided to 376,000 members.
"We grant funeral benefits to whoever paid the funeral expenses of the deceased member. Claimants of deceased members with 36 or more monthly contributions may receive a variable amount from P20,000 to P60,000 depending on the number and amount of contributions paid by the member," Villacorta said.
The funeral benefit arising from the death of a member who paid less than 36 monthly contributions is fixed at P12,000.
Villacorta said that sickness benefit is a daily cash allowance paid for the number of days a member cannot work due to sickness or injury.
"Unemployment benefit was the least availed benefit in 2023 with a total disbursement of P914.1 million to 64,000 members, down by 4.9 percent from the P961.4 million released to 75,000 members in 2022. This is also a reflection of the continuing improvement in the labor market, with the unemployment rate reaching its lowest levels last year," she said.
In total, the SSS said that benefit payments in 2023 amounted to P257.4 billion, up by 6.9 percent from the P240.6 billion disbursed in 2022.
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