The Social Security System (SSS) disbursed more than Php 63 billion in death benefits from January to September 2026, reflecting a 10.4-percent increase from the Php 57.74 billion released during the same period last year.
In a statement Friday, the state pension fund reported that the number of beneficiaries also climbed by 5.7 percent to approximately 1.4 million, compared with 1.3 million in the first nine months of 2025.
Surviving spouses, also known as death pensioners, accounted for 89.8 percent of the total beneficiaries.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Victor Alfonso Limlingan said the agency released an average of Php 7.08 billion in death benefits monthly during the nine-month period.
“The rise in death benefit disbursements shows that SSS is delivering on its mandate to protect Filipino workers and their families, especially during the most difficult moments of their lives,” Limlingan said.
He attributed part of the increase to the early implementation of the second tranche of the pension reform program, which provided additional financial assistance to surviving spouses and other qualified beneficiaries.
“By implementing the second tranche of the pension increase earlier, we were able to provide immediate relief to surviving spouses and other qualified beneficiaries,” he added.
According to Limlingan, death benefit payouts rose by nearly 5 percent in the third quarter following the accelerated implementation of the pension increase.
As of September 2026, the average monthly SSS death pension stood at Php 4,568.
Under existing SSS rules, death benefits are provided to qualified beneficiaries of deceased members either through a monthly pension or a one-time lump sum payment.
Primary beneficiaries are entitled to a monthly pension if the deceased member had paid at least 36 monthly contributions before the semester of death.
For members who contributed fewer than 36 months, their primary beneficiaries receive a lump sum benefit instead.
In cases where no primary beneficiaries are eligible, the lump sum may be granted to qualified secondary beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, SSS reported that funeral benefit disbursements reached Php 3.25 billion during the same nine-month period, up 5 percent from Php 3.09 billion in 2025.
The number of funeral benefit recipients also increased by 3.5 percent to 151,844.
Limlingan emphasized that funeral assistance remains an important component of the agency’s social protection programs, particularly for families facing unexpected expenses following the death of a loved one.
“Funeral benefits may be smaller than other SSS benefits, but they provide meaningful and immediate assistance to families dealing with the loss of a loved one,” he said.
He assured members that SSS would continue improving the delivery of benefits to ensure that workers and their families receive the financial protection they are entitled to under the social security program.
