SSS waives reporting requirement for pensioners

by Mary Grace Padin (The Philippine Star), Dec 16, 2017

MANILA, Philippines — About 1.32 million retiree-pensioners of the Social Security System (SSS) are no longer required to report to the state fund for its Annual Confirmation of Pensioners Program (ACOP).

In a statement, SSS president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Dooc said more than half of the 2.3 million SSS pensioners will benefit from the removal of the ACOP compliance requirement for those who are residing in the Philippines, pursuant to SSS Circular 2017-012.

“In fulfillment of our duty to bring better quality services to our dear pensioners, we are glad to announce that retiree pensioners who are residing here in the Philippines are no longer required to go to any SSS branch on their birth month for the ACOP starting Oct. 30 this year,” Dooc said.

ACOP is a measure which requires pensioners to annually report to the SSS to ensure the continuous payment of their benefits under the Social Security Law. It was implemented in 2012.

In lieu of reporting to the SSS, Dooc said pensioners based in the country will instead be subject to a verification procedure of the SSS to confirm if they are still alive and entitled to SSS benefits.

Retirees who are at least 85 years old and survivor pensioners who cannot report personally due to sickness, illness, or injury will also be checked through the Medical Fieldwork Service or the mandatory home visit by SSS employees.

On the other hand, SSS Circular 2017-012 provided that all retirees residing abroad, total disability or survivor pensioners, as well as their dependents with guardians, are still required to comply with the ACOP.

According to the circular, retiree pensioners residing abroad and total disability pensioners are required to report to the SSS during the month of their birth. Survivor pensioners and dependents of SSS members should also report during the month of birth of the member or deceased member.

“Compliance six months before the schedule shall be allowed and considered as early compliance if the pensioner complied with the ACOP on the previous year,” the circular read.

Dooc warned SSS member-pensioners non-compliance with ACOP will result in the automatic suspension of their pension.

“Resumption of pension shall be within two months from the date of the compliance of the pensioner. All recalled pensions from the pensioner’s depository bank, if any, and all accrued pensioner shall be remitted to the pensioner’s depository bank for crediting to the pensioner’s account,” the SSS said.

A member’s pension can also be suspended in cases such as failure to present death certificate of SSS member, failure to establish pensioner’s identity, suspected fraudulent claim, and failure to locate pensioner at given address, among others.