During this time when uncertainty is lurking in every corner, we need all the help we could get. So make sure you know what kind of help you’re entitled to and where you can get it — including your Social Security System (SSS) benefits. In case you didn’t know, your SSS benefits are more than just pension retirement benefits. You’re paying for quite a lot of types of benefits, loans, and services that you can avail, especially in the middle of this pandemic.

Maternity Benefits

This is a daily cash benefit given to female SSS members who are unable to work due to childbirth or pregnancy-related emergencies (e.g. miscarriage).

You are eligible if

• you have paid at least three (3) months of contributions within the past year;
• you let SSS know of pregnancy through your employer (if employed);

You can receive an amount equivalent to your average daily salary everyday.

Unemployment Benefit

This is a benefit you can avail if ever you are an employee who was involuntarily separated or let go from your job. Involuntary means reasons like retrenchment, business closure, role redundancy, installation of labor-saving devices and machines, and others. This does NOT include reasons such as serious misconduct, willful disobedience, gross and habitual neglect of duties, fraud or willful breach of trust, commission of a crime, or similar cases like abandonment, gross inefficiency, disloyalty, etc.

You are eligible if

• you are not over 60 years old when you were involuntarily separated; and
• you have paid at least 36 monthly contributions, 12 of which should be within the last one and a half years right before you were let go.

You can receive a one-time benefit of a cash amount twice the half of your average monthly salary credit.

You need to submit within a year of your involuntary separation the following documents:

• Notice of Termination from employer
• Unemployment Certificate from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

Salary Loan

This is a cash loan you can avail if ever you’re in dire need of immediate cash. You should remember that this is a loan, so an interest rate would be applied, which is 10% per annum until fully paid.

You are eligible if

• you are currently employed or self-employed currently paying for your contributions;
• you have 36 monthly contributions (for one-month loan) or 72 (for two-month loan), with 6 of those falling within the past year; and
• your employer is updated in paying your contributions (if employed).

You can receive

• a one-month loan amounting to an average of the last 12 salary credits you received, or the amount you applied for (whichever is lower); or
• a two-month loan amounting to twice the average of the last 12 salary credits you received, or the amount you applied for (whichever is lower).

Sickness Benefit

This benefit is largely for members who are self-employed, voluntary payees, OFWs, non-working spouses (NSWs), and members separated from employment.

You are eligible if

• you have at least 3 monthly contributions within the last year;
• you must be sick or injured for at least 4 days; and
• you have used up all your sick leaves with pay.

You can receive a daily cash allowance for each day you are unable to work due to sickness or injury. It may amount to as much as 90% of your average daily salary.

You need to submit

• a Sickness Benefit Application (SBA) Form;
• two valid IDs; and
• medical documents, if applicable.

Death Benefit

This is a cash benefit that can be received by your beneficiaries should you untimely pass away.

Your beneficiaries are eligible to claim if

• you have paid at least 36 monthly contributions prior to the past six months (monthly pension); or
• you have paid less than 36 monthly contributions prior to the past six months (lump sum).

Your beneficiaries can receive

• a monthly death pension, if your primary beneficiaries are a dependent spouse (up until they remarry) or a dependent child (legitimate, legitimated or legally adopted and illegitimate) below 21 years old who is not employed nor married; or
• a lump sum, if you have only secondary beneficiaries (e.g. dependent parents) and no primary ones; or
• a lump sum, if you have designated beneficiaries in case there are no primary and secondary ones.

Funeral Benefit

This is a cash benefit that can be claimed by the family or whoever paid for the burial expenses.

You are eligible if

• you were reported for coverage by your employer; or
• you were a self-employed member, an OFW, or a NWS with at least 1 monthly contribution; or
• you were a voluntary member previously marked as employed, self-employed, or an OFW with at least 1 monthly contribution; or
• you were employed and subject to compulsory coverage but was not reported by your employer.

You can receive as much as PHP 20,000 to PHP 40,000 depending on how much you contributed and how much your salary was.

Disability Benefit

This is a cash benefit given to a member who becomes permanently disabled.

You are eligible if

• you paid at least 1 monthly contribution within the past six months;
• you paid at least 36 monthly contributions prior to the past six months to qualify for a monthly pension; or
• you paid less than 36 monthly contributions prior to the past six months to qualify for a lump sum.

You can receive a minimum amount of PHP 1,000 to a maximum of PHP 2,400 plus a PHP 500 supplemental allowance every month for a monthly pension.

PESO Fund Program

PESO Fund stands for Personal Equity Savings Options Fund, which is a voluntary program for SSS members. This is something you add on top of your monthly contributions from your salary, so you’re not yet paying for this technically. With the help of the PESO Fund program, you’ll be able to save up with tax-free benefits and low-risk investments. Contributions can be as low as PHP 1,000 per year or go up to PHP 500,000 a year — it’s your decision.

You are eligible if

• you are currently 54 years old or younger;
• you have contributed to the regular SSS program for at least six consecutive months within the past year before you applied to the PESO Fund program; and
• you have NOT filed any claims from the regular SSS program.

Have you ever claimed a benefit from SSS?