The Social Security System (SSS) said it released P156.7 billion
retirements to 2.2 million members in 2023 making it the most availed
SSS benefit last year.
SSS Vice President for Benefits Administration Division Joy A.
Villacorta said that of the 4.7 million benefits disbursed to
pensioners, members and their beneficiaries in 2023, nearly half, or 47
percent, received retirement benefits.
Villacorta said SSS released about P156.7 billion in retirement benefits
to 2.2 million payees in 2023, up by 10.7 percent from the P141.5
billion retirement benefits given to over 2 million payees in the
previous year. The majority of these payees, at around 87.46 percent of
the total, are pensioners.
“Retirement benefit is a cash benefit being granted by SSS to a member
who can no longer work due to old age. Members who paid at least 120
monthly contributions will get a lifetime monthly pension while those
with less than 120 monthly contributions will receive a one-time lump
sum amount,” Villacorta explained.
She said that death benefit came in second with a total release of P70.1
billion to 1.4 million beneficiaries last year, slightly lower than the
P70.2 billion death benefits to 1.3 million beneficiaries in 2022.
“SSS grants cash benefit to beneficiaries of a deceased member. Deceased
SSS members with 36 monthly contributions will entitle their
beneficiaries to a monthly pension. In comparison, beneficiaries of
those with less than 36 monthly contributions will get a one-time lump
sum amount,” she added.
Maternity benefit follows with a disbursement of P14.1 billion to
357,000 members in 2023, which rose by 9.6 percent from about P12.9
billion recorded in 2022.
Villacorta said that female members who have paid at least three monthly
contributions in the last 12 months before the semester of childbirth,
miscarriage, or emergency termination of pregnancy can avail of the
maternity benefit. As provided in the Expanded Maternity Leave Law
(EMLL), the SSS maternity benefit is paid to an eligible member at every
instance of her pregnancy since March 2019.
Meanwhile, Villacorta noted that disability benefit came in fourth, with
P7.5 billion released to over 130,000 members last year, a 16.3 percent
increase from the P6.4 billion released in 2022.
“Members who become disabled either partially or totally can receive a
monthly pension or lump sum amount under the disability benefit. Members
who have paid at least 36 monthly contributions are qualified to get a
monthly disability pension while those with less than 36 monthly
contributions will be granted a lump sum amount,” she added.
She said that funeral benefit follows with P4.8 billion reimbursed to
211,000 payees, and sickness benefit with P3.2 billion provided to
376,000 members.
“We grant SS funeral benefits to whoever paid the funeral expenses of
the deceased member. Claimants of deceased members with 36 or more
monthly contributions may receive a variable amount from P20,000 to
P60,000 depending on the number and amount of contributions paid by the
member. The funeral benefit arising from the death of a member who paid
less than 36 monthly contributions is fixed at P12,000,” she continued.
Further, Villacorta said that sickness benefit is a daily cash allowance
paid for the number of days a member cannot work due to sickness or
injury.
“Unemployment benefit is the least availed benefit in 2023 with a total
disbursement of P914.1 million to 64,000 members, down by 4.9 percent
from the P961.4 million released to 75,000 members in 2022. This is also
a reflection of the continuing improvement in the Philippine labor
market with the unemployment rate reaching its lowest levels last year,”
she said.
Villacorta noted that benefit payments in 2023 amounted to P257.4
billion, up by 6.9 percent from the P240.6 billion disbursed in 2022.