Whether self-employed or a non-government employee, the Social Security System (SSS) is essential as it offers its member a wide range of benefits. Founded in 1957, SSS provides Filipinos with social insurance program packed with benefits, such as loans, maternity leave, death, disability, and pensions. But what is SSS, and how do you become a member? Read on as we answer what it is, how to become a member, and the benefits you can enjoy from this membership program.
Like other membership programs, Filipinos should pay monthly contributions deducted from their salary to become SSS members and access their benefits. If employed, their employer will deduct monthly contributions from the member’s salary. Their employer will also give their share and remit the contributions to SSS. Meanwhile, self-employed Filipinos can voluntarily pay contributions to SSS to access its programs, from loans and retirement to health care benefits.
What is Social Security System (SSS)?
A government-operated social insurance program, the Social Security System (SSS) protects workers in the private, professional, and informal sectors, including their beneficiaries, against varying contingencies, such as unemployment, disability, old age, and death. Previously known as the Social Security Act of 1954, SSS was founded under the Republic Act No 1161.
They amended the law in 1997 and enacted the Republic Act No 8282, or Social Security Law. Under this policy, the state should promote, develop, and establish a feasible tax-exempt social security system appropriate to the needs of the people in the Philippines. SSS promote social fairness and offers its members and their beneficiaries significant protection.
Its members can access varying benefits, such as maternity, sickness, disability, retirement, death, and other contingencies causing financial burden and income loss. Finally, the state should extend protection to workers and their qualified beneficiaries. In short, the SSS mandate is to provide comprehensive benefits, ensuring all the workers in the private and informal sectors can access suitable, reliable, and convenient social protection today and in the future.
Purpose
Since SSS was mandated to protect workers from the private, professional, and informal sectors against various contingencies, SSS aims to give all Filipinos, whether self-employed or unemployed, an opportunity to safeguard their future once they retire or resign from their jobs due to valid situations. It provides its members and beneficiaries monetary benefits, including sickness, disability, maternity, unemployment, old, age, death, and funeral.
Types of Coverage
If you meet any of the conditions below, you can become an SSS member:
Compulsory Coverage (Required by law)
- Employers (Business or Household Employer)
- Employees from the private, professional, and informal sectors
- Househelper/Kasambahay
- OFWs, both land-based and sea-based (excluding Filipinos who are permanent immigrants, such as Filipino immigrants, permanent residents, and naturalized citizens of their host country
- Self-employed individuals who meet the following:
- An individual not over 60 years old and not working as a regular employee of a company
- If you’re a previous SSS member, you should have a P1,000 monthly income to change your membership status to self-employed.
- An individual who owns a business
- An individual may also be considered a self-employed member, but not limited to, including single proprietors or partners of the business, actors, actresses, coaches, content writers, directors, professional athletes, etc.
Voluntary Coverage
- A non-working spouse of an SSS member
- A previously employed SSS member who has separated from their work/employer
- A previous SSS member who choose to resign from work and become self-employed
SSS Benefits
Sickness Benefit
This benefit provides a daily cash allowance to members who can’t work due to sickness or injury caused by an accident. The sickness benefit allowance is 90% of the member’s daily salary and only covers 120 days maximum per year.
Maternity Benefit
Exclusively made for female SSS members, the Maternity Benefit is a cash allowance granted to members who cannot work due to childbirth or miscarriage. SSS will provide a cash allowance equivalent to the member’s daily salary multiplied by 60 days if the member goes through normal delivery or miscarriage. Meanwhile, members who went through the caesarian section will get a cash allowance equivalent to the member’s daily salary multiplied by 78 days.
Paternity Leave Benefit
Aside from that, a Paternity Benefit is granted to the kid’s father once the child is born, whether married or not. The kid’s father is entitled to seven (7) days of paid leave (only for the first four deliveries).
Disability Benefit
Under this benefit, partially or completely disabled members due to mental or physical damage will receive a monetary (lump sum or monthly pension) payment.
Retirement Benefit
The Retirement Benefit is a monetary payment (lump sum or monthly pension) granted to SSS members who can’t work due to old age.
Death Benefit
The legitimate beneficiaries/dependents of deceased SSS members will receive a monetary payment (lump sum or monthly pension). However, SSS will suspend the monthly pension once the dependent remarry.
Funeral Benefit
The family member who paid for the deceased member’s burial expenses will receive a funeral benefit worth P20,000 to P40,000.
Unemployment Benefit
SSS members terminated from their work involuntarily will receive unemployment compensation up to P10,000.
SSS Programs
Employee’s Compensation (EC) Progam
Through the EC Program, registered SSS employee members who encounter an illness or accident while performing their work, whether within or outside their workplace, causing death or incapacity, will be granted assistance, such as rehabilitation and medical services or income cash benefit.
Business Development Loan
The Business Development Loan is a program for members granting credit intended for developing and expanding business or industry operations.
Educational Assistance Loan Program
Under this program, SSS will provide loans to assist its members or their dependents in education. The granted educational assistance can help cover the cost of attending college or vocational and technical courses.
Flexi Fund
Another program from SSS, Flexi Fund, is an alternative saving designed for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) below 60 years old. Founded in 2001, Flexi Fund is a fixed-income provident fund where the earnings are decided based on the 91-day Treasury bills or SSS short-term placements.
Housing Loan
Apart from the educational assistance, SSS members may qualify for a housing loan. With this program, members can access a housing loan thru SSS-accredited participating financial institutions (PFI), providing funds for purchasing, improving, or refurbishing the member’s home and constructing housing units.
Salary Loan
Aside from monthly pension and lump sum benefits, eligible SSS members can avail of Salary Loan. It grants members a one (1) month Salary Loan if they have at least 36 months of total contributions and six (6) months of contributions in the past 12 months before applying for the program. If borrowing two (2) months of salary, the member should have at least 72 months of total contributions before applying for the loan. Also, the member should not have outstanding SSS loan payments.
Social Development Loan
The Social Development Loan is a program granting money intended for establishing institutions and constructing facilities that will provide excellent education and academic training to its members and their dependents. Moreover, it should offer affordable healthcare and medical services to the general public, especially SSS members and their dependents.
PESO Fund (Personal Equity Savings Option)
The Personal Equity Savings Option or PESO Fund is an alternative savings program for SSS members, which they can use to boost benefits from their standard membership retirement. Founded in 2014, it’s a tax-free provident fund available to SSS members once they meet certain conditions, such as retirement or permanent disability.
Furthermore, SSS members can designate the fund to their beneficiaries. The fund is accessible in three options: medical bills, disability, and retirement.
How to become an SSS Member
With all the benefits and programs this membership program offers, it’s no surprise why many Filipinos want to become SSS members. But before you become an SSS member, you should meet the qualifications and comply with the requirements below unless you’re a company employee where membership is mandatory.
Qualifications
To become an SSS member, the applicant should meet the following qualifications
- All Filipino workers from the private, professional, and informal sectors (Government employees can’t become an SSS member since they have the Government Service Insurance System or GSIS)
- Self-employed Filipinos
- Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)
- Non-working spouse of an SSS member
- Unemployed Voluntary member
Requirements
If qualified, secure the following requirements for SSS membership:
- SS Form E-1 (Personal Record) (duly accomplished)
- Primary documents (at least one of the following):
- Birth Certificate
- Baptismal
- Driver’s License
- Passport
- Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Card
- Seaman’s Book
- Secondary documents (submit two of the following if the primary document isn’t available):
- Alien Certificate of Registration
- ATM card with the cardholder’s name
- ATM card and certification from the issuing bank, stating the account number belongs to the cardholder if it doesn’t bear the cardholder’s name
- Bank Account Passbook
- Birth/Baptismal Certificate
- Certificate from:
- Office of the Southern/Northern Cultural Communities
- Office of Muslim Affairs
- Certificate of Licensure/Qualification Document or Seafarer’s ID and Record Book from the Maritime Industry Authority
- Company ID
- Company Representative Authorization Card (from SSS)
- Credit Card
- Fisherman’s Card (from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources)
- GSIS Card or Certificate of Membership
- Health/Medical Card
- ID card issued by Local Government Units (such as Barangay, Municipality/City)
- ID card issued by professional organizations acknowledged by PRC
- Life Insurance Policy
- Marriage Contract (required if married)
- Membership card issued by private companies
- NBI Clearance
- Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) card
- Pag-IBIG Member’s Data Form
- Permit to carry firearms (from the Firearms and Explosive Unit of the Philippine National Police)
- PhilHealth Member’s Data Record
- Police Clearance
- Postal ID
- School ID
- Seafarer’s Registration Certificate (from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration)
- Senior Citizen Card
- Tax Identification Number (TIN) Card
- Temporary License and Student Permit (from the Land Transportation Office)
- Transcript of School Records
- Voter’s Identification Card/Affidavit
Important Reminders:
- If married, submit your Marriage Contract when applying as an SSS member.
- If applying for SSS membership as a surviving spouse or guardian (60 years of age and above) for the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners program, submit any secondary documents stated earlier with the latest photo and age.
- If reporting legitimate children, provide their birth or baptismal certificates (birth certificate should have the annotation “legitimate”)
- If your beneficiary is a legally adopted child, present the adoption decree. Also, provide the additional requirement below if your beneficiary is an illegitimate child:
- Birth Certificate
- Baptismal Certificate
- School Record
- Insurance Policy
- Statement before a court
- All presented documents should be original or certified copies for authentication purposes.
How to apply for an SSS Membership
Workers from the private, professional, and informal sectors can choose from the two options to apply for an SSS membership: via on-site and online application. To do so, follow the steps below:
Via On-site Application
If you’re not tech-savvy and wish to do everything in person, you can apply for an SSS membership at the nearest SSS branch. Fill out the SS Form E-1 (Personal Record) and submit the original and photocopy of one (1) primary or two (2) secondary documents. Also, one of the documents should have your birthdate and photo.
Via Online Application
- Visit the SSS website at https://www.sss.gov.ph/.
- Hover your mouse over the “Apply for an SS Number Online” option and click: “No SS Number yet? Get it here!”
- Read the “Step by Step Guide” and click the Start button.
- Fill out the required fields and click the Submit button. You’ll receive a confirmation link to the email you provided on the online registration form.
- Click the link, and provide all the required details, including Basic and Beneficiaries Information.
- Review the details you’ve provided and click the “Generate SS Number” button.
- Wait for the system to display the generated SS Slip. Also, you’ll receive a confirmation via email containing the generated SS Number, a copy of the SS Number Slip, and more instructions to proceed with the application.
- Next, print the following sent to your email by the SS Number Issuance System:
- ePersonal Record Form
- SS Number Slip
- SS Number Application Confirmation email
- Head to the nearest SSS Branch and submit the printed records with the complete documentary requirements. (Note: Your SSS membership status is set to “Temporary” until you have submitted the necessary documents to the nearest SSS Branch.)
- After submitting the supporting documents, your SSS membership status will become “Permanent.”
Summary
In summary, the benefits and programs provided by the Social Security System (SSS) are helpful to all Filipinos, from private company employees and OFWs to self-employed individuals, non-working spouses, and the member’s beneficiaries. No matter how big or small your salary is, becoming an SSS member will benefit you and your family’s future, especially in times of need. Therefore, we encouraged qualified individuals to apply for SSS membership.