By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY – The Social Security System (SSS) on Thursday (Aug. 28) marked its 68th Anniversary with a lot of milestone programs launched for its members and pensioners nationwide.
The SSS issued a revised Calamity Loan Program (CLP) guidelines-lowering interest rate of 7%, renewal allowed after six months, and streamlined activation process for timely financial assistance on July 23, 2025.
The SSS recently launched the SSS Calamity Loan Program which was availed by more than 186,000 members amounting to P3.4 billion and the Pension Reform Program starting September 2025 rolling out a three-year pension increase to benefit all types of pensioners.
The pension increases are 10% increase for retirement and disability pensioners (for pensioners as of Aug. 31, 2025) and 5% increase for death or survivor pensioners; additional 10% increase for retirement and disability pensioners (for pensioners as of Aug. 31, 2026) and additional 5% increase for death or survivor pensioners; and additional 10% increase for retirement and disability pensioners (for pensioners as of Aug. 31, 2027) and additional 5% increase for death or survivor pensioners.
In a press conference, SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph Montes De Claro said that they will share how governance is shared at SSS.
De Claro added that the SSS Commission has nine members, including DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma and DOF (Department of Finance) Secretary Ralph Recto.
Recto is the Chairman of the SSS Commission.
De Claro cited the seven benefit programs of the SSS such as the Pension for the members reaching the minimum age of 65 can already avail of pension.
Survivorship pension, Disability pension, death benefit, maternity benefit and limited unemployment benefits.
For qualified members, SSS is providing loan benefits.
De Claro introduced Commissioner Eva Arcos, advocate of labor practices and environment; Commissioner Alex Limlingan, and recently-appointed Commissioner Roy Padiernos, with over 35 years of experience in insurance industry.
De Claro stressed that they only need one more SSS Commissioner and they will have a quorum.
Padiernos is the Head of the IT Committee where digital first but no Filipinos will be left behind.
Arcos said that the SSS was established on Sept. 1, 1957 and it’s SSS 68th Anniversary on Sept. 1, 2025 with the Tagline: “Sa SSS Sigurado ang Bukas”.
She echoed the seven programs cited by De Claro which are “From Womb to Tomb”.
Limlingan said “securing the retirement of our pensioners is at the core of our mandate.”
P200,000 against their pension and spouses can also borrow P200,000 for their needs.
60 years old and above members can avail of special discount from Unilab (United Laboratories).
Padiernos said that SSS would also like to give due recognition to their top partners.
SSS will also honor top disbursement partners and media partners in private sector and community and award those important people.
On Sept. 26, 2025, the SSS will cap the celebration where top employees of SSS will be recognized.
De Claro said that on Sept. 17, 2025, the Kabalikat Award will be held in Cebu, together with the OFWs worldwide as they are part of SSS wherever they are.
“2025 really is making sure that the stakeholders are taken care of in terms of reduction of interest loans, the Pension Reform Program which will run for three years,” De Claro said.
The SSS will launch in December this year the Micro Loan Facility Program, with lower rates as Christmas gift to SSS members so that they will not be victimized by loan sharks.
The study of the Program for the DMW for the OFWs is underway.
“We are furthering our bilateral agreements with other countries,” De Claro said, adding that, “we are leveraging such bilateral agreements with the economies of other countries.”
The SSS needs 1,800 employees more to further improve the service, SSS will fill up such vacant positions and will conduct a job fair for such purpose nationwide.
The SSS is allowed with 8,500 plantilla positions and there are now 2,628 unfilled positions.
On digital transformation, digital first no members left behind, the SSS is embarking on with data sharing and working with PhilHealth on AKAP Program, OWWA, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and next year better collection and augmentation of personnel.
De Claro assured that the 2.6 million regular pensioners and 1.2 million survivorship pensioners of SSS need not do anything as the pension increases will be automatically credited to them.
“There will be no contribution increase during the duration of the pension increase,” De Claro said.
SSS also has partnership with a pharmaceutical company accredited by the DTI on its “Botika para sa Mamamayang Pilipino”.
“Definitely, for 2025, we will hit the P100 Billion income,” De Claro said.
“We have a fund life of about 25 years even with the pension increase,” he added.
“We are fortunate enough that we still have a growing population,” De Claro said.
He noted that there are currently 1.5 million OFWs.
The SSS is banking on continuous drive to have more members next year, better collection, run after the contribution remittance evaders, and better education to members going beyond 10 years on how they will contribute to social security.
“As of yesterday, there is a total amount of P4,977,508,000.00 from 279,874 applicants in the Calamity Loan launched in August this year and will end in September this year,” De Claro said.
He said that half of the SSS fund is invested in government securities.
“We fully support the capital market,” De Claro said.
He stressed that SSS has P58 billion income in investment last year and reaching a little over P50 billion this year. ###
