STATE-RUN Social Security System (SSS) disbursed P54.65 billion in 2020 for death benefit claims under the social security fund, a 2.3-percent dip from the P55.93 billion claimed in 2019.
SSS President and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the decrease in releases for death claims was due the mobility restrictions after government imposed lockdown measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease of 2019.
There were also fewer members who benefited from disbursements for death benefit claims last year at 1.05 million from 1.06 million in 2019.
“Considering that filing of death benefit claims is still being done thru the drop-box system, branch appointment, or through number coding system, the number of benefit claims received and processed were also affected. Our employees are also on an Alternative Working Arrangements (AWA)—in compliance with Civil Service Commission (CSC) guidelines which means only 50 percent to 70 percent of our personnel works in the office permanently,” Ignacio said.
In previous years, death benefit disbursements in 2016 reached P38.36 billion to 797,337 members; P52.29 billion to 0.95 million members in 2017; and, P53.38 billion to 1.01 million members in 2018.
SSS grants death benefit cash allowance to beneficiaries of a deceased member, either as a monthly pension or lump sum amount. A monthly pension is given to primary beneficiaries of the deceased member who has paid at least 36 monthly contributions before the semester of death. They are also entitled to a 13th month pension payable every December and an additional P1,000 benefit on top of the monthly pension. However, a one-time lump sum amount is given to the beneficiaries of a deceased member who has paid less than 36 monthly contributions before the semester of death.
Meanwhile, SSS said death benefit payments under the Employees Compensation (EC) Fund dropped by 7 percent to P1.05 billion in 2020 from P1.13 billion in 2019.
The number of members who benefited from death benefit payments under the EC Fund slightly declined to 16,252 last year from 16,264 members in the previous year.
Prior to the pandemic, there was an annual increase in death benefit disbursements under the EC Fund since 2016.
The agency released P848.76 million to 13,929 members in 2016; P851.19 million to 15,971 members in 2017; and, P1.34 billion in 2018 to 16,366 members in 2018.
“Already in the pipeline is the opening of online applications for Disability and Death claims as part of our digitalization campaign,”
Ignacio said.
She added the digital services program aims to provide SSS members and pensioners with “simpler, faster and more convenient” means for registration, filing of benefit and loan applications and other transactions.
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