The Social Security System (SSS) announced some special cases will be applicable for an additional P1,000 benefit.
“We had to do system adjustments for these special cases to make sure that everybody will receive the additional benefit either on March 31, May 12 or May 26,” said SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Dooc.
He explained 10 percent of pensioners, around 242,000, who do not regularly receive a monthly pension will still be eligible to receive the boost. These cases include death claims; beneficiaries with a withheld share; and those covered by a Bilateral Social Security Agreement, wherein beneficiaries receive retirement benefits from the Philippines and another country.
“Death benefits with multiple payees will not be given P1,000 for each payee, rather, the P1,000 additional benefit will be shared equally among them,” Dooc clarified.
He added other pensioners eligible for the additional funding include pensioners on suspended status due to non-compliance with the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners but are up for resumption from January to March, those who availed the advance 18-month retirement pension, and those with settled initial disability, death, and retirement (DDR) claims from November 2016 to April 2017.
“Around 16,000 retiree pensioners who availed the advance 18-month retirement pension, from August 2015 onward, did not receive the additional benefit last March 3 since they are not yet receiving their regular monthly pension,” said Dooc. “However, come May 12, they will receive the P1,000 additional benefit paid retroactively from January 2017 onwards.”
Also set to receive the boost are partial disability pensioners with less than 12 months duration, who will be paid in a lump sum based on the number of months they received their entitlement, beginning from January 2017.
Pensioners who availed the three-month advance pension due to Typhoons Lawin and Nina, last year, will be paid their pension differential on May 26.
Meanwhile, about 13,000 pensioners with unpaid loans will not be able to receive the P1,000 additional benefit to offset any outstanding obligation. They will start receiving their regular pension, together with the P1,000 additional benefit, as soon as they have fully settled their outstanding loan balance./WDJ