Some 1.32 million retiree pensioners of state-run Social Security System (SSS) are no longer required to report for the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners Program (ACOP) or the yearly reporting to SSS to ensure the continuous payment of their monthly pension.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said 58.64 percent of the 2.3 million pensioners as of end-September 2017 will benefit from the removal of the ACOP compliance requirement for retiree pensioners based in the Philippines.
“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 October 30 this year,” Dooc said. Instead, SSS is conducting verification procedure to confirm if the pensioner is still alive and entitled to SSS benefits.
ACOP requires pensioners to annually report to SSS to ensure the continuous payment of their benefits. It was implemented in 2012 to avoid circumstances wherein the rightful recipients are not receiving their monthly benefit.
All retirees residing outside the country, total disability, survivor pensioners, and dependent children and their guardian, meanwhile, are still required to comply with ACOP.
Based on SSS Circular No. 2017-012, the schedule of compliance for retiree pensioners residing abroad and total disability pensioners is on their birth month; survivor pensioners on the birth month of the deceased member; while minor or incapacitated dependent pensioners should comply with theirguardian on the birth month 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 clarified however, that ACOP compliance for retiree pensioners based in the Philippines who are 85 years old and above and survivor pensioners who cannot report personally due to sickness, illness, or injury will still be checked through a mandatory home visit by SSS employees.
Medical Fieldwork Service (MFS) or the home visit by SSS doctors may also be provided for total disability pensioners.
SSS reminded its pensioners that non-compliance with ACOP will result in the automatic suspension of their pension on the month after the birth month of the pensioner or SSS member.
“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,” SSS said.
As of end-September this year, total number of SSS pensioners stood at 2.31 million.