The Social Security System, otherwise known as SSS, is a government agency in the Philippines that offers social insurance programs to Filipinos. Born from the legislation of Republic Act No. 1161 or the Social Security Act of 1954, this agency offers member-exclusive insurance and benefits, ensuring that all Filipino workers get timely, convenient, and reliable social protection coverage when they need it.
Also Read: What is DOLE? Department of Labor and Employment Philippines
For over 60 years, SSS has been the agency in charge of promoting the welfare of its members from the private, professional, and informal sectors. The agency also takes care of the workers’ families in the event of a worker’s demise, disability, sickness, maternity, or old age. SSS also offers other services, including loans and other health care benefits. In this guide, we took a closer look at SSS and everything it embodies—from its goals and mandates to everything that it offers—that Filipino workers can benefit from.
What is SSS?
SSS stands for Social Security System—a government-run agency created by virtue of Republic Act No. 1161 (Social Security Act of 1954). It offers a member-exclusive social insurance program for workers in the private, professional, and informal sectors. Through SSS, the Philippine government hopes to provide a sound and viable tax-exempt insurance program for the Filipino workers in cases of income loss and financial burden.
SSS, as an agency, was pioneered by former President Manuel Roxas in an effort to offer relief to the people who were facing difficulties in the post-war period. However, it wasn’t until former President Carlos P. Garcia assumed office in 1957 that the Social Security Act of 1954 was implemented and the SSS office was launched. Later, both the program and the agency were improved to include compulsory coverage for people who identified as self-employed. The SSS Act was also amended in 1997 to offer better benefit packages, expansion of coverage, flexibility in investments, stiffer penalties for law violators, condonation of penalties of delinquent employers, and the establishment of a voluntary provident fund for SSS members.
As a member-exclusive agency, SSS requires certain membership kinds before an individual can enjoy the benefits of the social insurance plan. It also requires premiums or contributions, which may vary depending on the membership type of the individual. Regardless of the membership type, however, all SSS members are entitled to retirement, disability, survivors’, and funeral benefits as well as housing, business, and educational loans and health care benefits.
Mission
As an agency, SSS maintains sound and viable social justice and meaningful security system to members and their families against the hazards of disability, sickness, maternity. Old age, death and other contingencies resulting in loss of income or financial burden.
Vision
For its vision, SSS intends to create a viable social security institution that will provide world-class universal and equitable social protection to its members and their families.
Corporate Values
For over 60 years, the agency has been keeping up with the maintenance of a corporate culture that aims to institutionalize and instill trust, empowerment and teamwork as its core values.
Purpose
As the country’s prime governing body in charge of the country’s workers’ social insurance plan, the Social Security Administration (SSS) has been offering numerous benefits and loan options to all paid-up employees in the Philippines since 1957. SSS members can also apply for salary and disaster loans to support the needs of all Filipino income earners and workers and their families.
Functions and Responsibilities
SSS, also known as the Social Security System, has been established as a state policy under the Republic Act No. 8282. Its purpose has always been for the government to establish, develop, and promote a tax-exempt social security system that extends social security coverage to employees and their family. The insurance benefits offered by SSS vary depending on their contribution in exchange for their monthly contributions which vary depending on their pay band. The benefits ranges from sickness, maternity, disability, retirement, death and funeral, and wage loans.
SSS Benefits, Programs, and Services
The Social Security System (SSS) offer numerous benefits, programs, and services to the private-sector employees in the event of a worker’s death, disability, sickness, maternity, or old age, social security provides a replacement income.
Social Security Benefits
SSS offers social security benefits in the face of unexpected situations. Some of these benefits include:
- Sickness Benefit
It offers a daily monetary payout when members are unable to work due to injury or illness.
- Maternity Benefit
It entails daily monetary payment when a female member is unable to work due to childbirth, miscarriage, or emergency termination of pregnancy.
- Disability Benefit
This refers to a monthly pension or a lump sum payment made to a member who sustained permanent disability, either in partial or in full.
- Retirement Benefit
This benefit grants monetary compensation to member who can no longer work due to old age, paid either monthly or in a lump sum.
- Death Benefit
It refers to the monetary reward granted to the beneficiaries of a deceased SSS member, paid either monthly or in one large sum.
- Funeral Benefit
This offers the beneficiaries of a deceased SSS member the amount of 20,000 to pay for burial expenses.
- Unemployment Benefit
With this benefit, employees, kasambahays, and OFWs who were involuntary separated from work can get monetary assistance to help tide them over until they find a new job and bounce back.
Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP)
SSS also ensures via the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) that a compensation package is available to employees in the public and private sector and their dependents in case work-related accidents occur.
Some of the benefits offered the ECP include:
- EC Temporary Total Disability or Sickness
- EC Disability
- EC Medical Reimbursement
- EC Death
- EC Funeral
Loans
SSS also has in place numerous loan facilities that members may take advantage of.
These loans include:
Member Loans
SSS members are entitled to numerous loan facilities meant to support their emergency needs such as:
- Salary Loan
This loan privilege is made available to working, self-employed, or voluntary SSS members to support their short-term credit needs, if there’s any.
- Pension Loan
This is a form of cash loan granted to retired pensioners to assist with their immediate financial needs at a low interest rate.
- Calamity Loan
A short-term member-exclusive loan program granted to eligible member-borrowers who suffered losses or damages to their properties while residing in calamity-stricken areas.
Housing Loans
SSS also offers loans related to purchase, repair, and renovation or improvement of its members’ houses. Some housing loan programs offered by SSS includes:
- Direct Housing Loan Facility for Workers’ Organization Members (WOMS)
The Direct Housing Loan Facility for Workers’ Organization Members (WOMS) aims to support the housing aspirations of worker-members of any workers’ organizations licensed and accredited by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), or the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA). Under the program, the members of any trade union center, federation, national union, local/chapter, or independent union as defined in Book V of the Labor Code may purchase socialized and low-cost housing.
- Direct Housing Loan for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
This housing loan program is exclusively designed to support the National Shelter Program (NSP)—the government’s flagship program designed to assist the homeless, especially the informal settler families (ISFs), and the low- and middle-income Filipino families and overseas Filipino contract workers (OFWs) to acquire socialized and low-cost housing.
- House Repair and/or Improvement Loan
This is a lending program directly offered by SSS to members so they can finance the following housing-related activities:
- Major repairs, especially for dilapidated and structurally unsafe housing units
- Permanent improvements related to extension, expansion, and enhancement of economic and aesthetic value of an already existing housing unit
- Completion of an occupied bare house
- Construction of concrete fence and steel gates
- Installation of deep well and motor pump
- Assumption of Mortgage
This is a lending program offered by SSS to members with good standing so they can assume the updated principal balance of an existing SSS housing loan.
Pandemic Relief and Restructuring Program (PRRP)
The Pandemic Relief and Restructuring Program (PRRP) is an SSS-initiated program intended to help active members cope with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program has had five runs, including:
- PRRP 2 – Condonation of Penalties on Social Security Contributions
As the second offering of the Pandemic Relief and Restructuring Program (PRRP), the “Condonation of Penalties on Social Security Contributions” was intended to assist delinquent employers by condoning penalties on unpaid SS contributions so they can bounce back and help them get back on track with their regular monthly remittance.
- PRRP 3 – Enhanced Installment Payment Program
As the third offering under the Pandemic Relief and Restructuring Program (PRRP), the “Enhanced Installment Payment Program” was meant to assist delinquent employers by giving them the option to pay in installment the total amount of their delinquency, as stated in the Schedule of Monthly Installment Payments.
- PRRP 4 – Housing Loan Restructuring and Penalty Condonation Program (HLRPCP)
As the fourth offering under the Pandemic Relief and Restructuring Program (PRRP), the “Housing Loan Restructuring and Penalty Condonation Program (HLRPCP)” aims to assist delinquent member- borrowers, their legal heirs, or designated successor-in-interest by offering penalty condonation options on their past due housing loans.
- PRRP 5 – Short-Term Member Loan Penalty Condonation Program (STMLPCP)
The “Short-Term Member Loan Penalty Condonation Program (STMLPCP)” is the fifth offering under the Pandemic Relief and Restructuring Program (PRRP). It was a penalty condonation program created to help members pay their past due loans either in full, in installment, or in more flexible terms so they can bring back their good records to SSS.
Other SSS Programs
Other available SSS programs offered to Filipino SSS members include:
- SSS Flexi-Fund Program for OFWs
The SSS Flexi-fund Program is a program launched in July 2001 to help OFWs save a portion of their income. A portion of the flexi-fund savings are then invested to maximize the returns, in an effort to supplement the benefits of SSS and work as a tax-exempt pension-savings plan. It was later adopted as the National Provident Fund for OFWs in May 2002.
- Workers’ Investment & Savings Program (WISP)
The Workers’ Investment & Savings Program (WISP) is a safe, convenient, and tax-free individual retirement savings plan provisioned by the Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 for Filipino workers. It was professionally managed by SSS to prioritize principal preservation while matching the offers of regular SSS benefits.
- PESO Fund
The SSS Personal Equity Savings Option (PESO) Fund is a voluntary savings program that members can use to augment their retirement benefits from the regular membership. It was designed to a provident fund that gives tax-free returns and it can be made available effective upon the retirement of the members or when certain conditions are met, such as permanent disability. To availees, the fund also offers three account options: medical expenses, retirement and disability, and other needs.
- Paternity Leave benefit
SSS also offers a paternity benefit—seven (7) days worth of compensation is given to a kid’s father when the child is born. It is essentially a portion of a woman’s maternity benefits that she extends to the child’s father, whether or not they are married or to a relative of up to fourthv guy
- Social Development Loan
The Social Development Loan is a loan program designed for the construction of facilities and the founding of institutions that provide high-quality education and academic training programs, as well as affordable medical and health-care services to the general public and to the SSS members and their dependents.
- Business Development Loan
The Business Development Loan is a type of loan program run by SSS to help businesses and industries expand, diversify, and grow their operations.
Video: SSS Benefits
If you want to learn more about SSS benefits, watch this video explainer posted by MYSSSPH.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If you have any questions regarding the Social Security System (SSS), here’s a list of the frequently asked questions and answers below.
1. What is SSS?
SSS is a government-run social insurance program that covers workers in the private, professional, and informal sectors.
2. What is the purpose of SSS?
The SSS is meant to establish and promote a viable social security system that provides universal and equitable social protection while providing world-class service to the Filipinos.
3. Who qualifies as voluntary members?
Voluntary members are usually people like:
- Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) under the age of 60
- Non-working spouse (NWS) of an SSS member under 60 years old,
- An SSS member who has been separated from employment or has ceased to be self-employed, an OFW, or a non-working spouse
4. Can I go directly to SSS?
Yes, you may but it’s always best to make an appointment for a visit using the SSS Appointment System to save time and avoid long lines.
5. How does one become a member of the SSS?
Getting a Social Security (SS) number is the first step to becoming an SSS member. Remember to keep your Social Security number and contact any SSS branch right away if you lose it..
6. Is it possible to register for SSS online and receive an SS Number?
Yes. You can register and obtain an SS Number for the first time by visiting the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph). Simply head on to the website’s homepage and click the tab labeled “No SS Number Yet? Apply Online!” and follow the instructions. Your registration status will remain as “No Documents Submitted” until you visit the nearest SSS branch.
7. When does the SSS coverage start?
- If you’re employed, it will be on your first day.
- If you’re self-employed, on the month and year of your first contribution payment, as long as it’s not before the stated start of your business
- If you are an OFW, on the applicable month and year of your first contribution payment,
- If you’re a NWS, on the month and year of your first contribution payment, whichever is applicable.
- If you are a separated member, your voluntary membership begins the month you resume contribution payments.
8. Is it possible to withdraw the SSS membership?
No. SSS only offers lifelong memberships. Even if you have missed contributions, you may still be eligible for benefits and loan privileges if you meet the eligibility requirements.
Summary
The SSS is the Philippine government’s way of providing universal social insurance coverage for all citizens, mostly Filipino workers, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), non-working spouses of insured persons, and those who have been separated from employment.
To become a lifelong member of the SSS, you simply need to register and get an SSS number either via a local SSS branch or online at My.SSS. While SSS registration is a simple process, withdrawal of membership is not allowed. The good thing about it is that even if you missed some contributions, you may still avail the benefits and loan privileges provided that you meet the eligibility requirements.
Contact Information
In case you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your local SSS branch or reach out to SSS directly via the following:
Social Security System Philippines
Address: East Ave, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
E-mail address: duplonel@sss.gov.ph, information@sss.gov
Telephone Number: (02) 7917 7777 / (02) 921-0550
Website: https://sss.gov.ph/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SSSPh
For inquiries and concerns:
SSS Hotline: 1455 or 81 455 for Landlines
SSS Email: General inquiries – member_relations@sss.gov.ph
E-services queries – onlineserviceassistance@sss.gov.ph
OFW concerns – ofw.relations@sss.gov.ph