The Social Security System (SSS) has urged anew fresh graduates, whether from senior high school or college, to apply for SSS membership and be eligible for various benefits.
“If they have time, they can already register, especially if they intend to work in a private company or establishment because it is a requirement,” Christian Andrew Rillorta, information officer of the SSS North Luzon 1 office, told the Philippine News Agency during a media interview.
Application is done online and there is no need to visit any SSS office, except if they need help in registering through their website, sss.gov.ph and the my.sss portal, he said.
Rillorta said that on the website, applicants would see: “You need a number” and they must click on it, then proceed to answer the questions pertaining to their personal information.
“They can already generate the registration form which they can take a photo of or print then submit to their employer for compliance with the requirement of paying the employer share and in acting as withholding agent of the SSS for the employee,” he said.
Rillorta said that being an SSS member is the right of all employees in the private sector.
Male members’ benefits include sickness, disability, unemployment, retirement, death, and funeral, while that of women are the same, with the addition of maternity benefits.
All active members can also avail of the loan program –salary and calamity– once they have paid their membership dues for a certain number of months.
Rillorta added members who have paid at least 120 months of accumulated membership dues and who reach the age of 60 are eligible for a retirement benefit, or pension.
In case of the member’s death, the surviving legal spouse and minor children are also entitled to benefits under the death benefit package.
Rillorta said non-members could become a voluntary member and shift to a “working status” once already employed.
He added that as protection for the members, the SSS is aggressively pursuing employers who do not register their workers or do not remit their payment.
“Our accounts management section monitors all employer members, especially for non-membership of their workers and for non-remittance. Our program runs after contribution evaders to ensure that our employees get their rightful entitlement and will not affect their benefits,” Rillorta said.