Social Security System (SSS) President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando Ledesma Macasaet is pushing for the SSS membership of barangay captains and kagawads serving in around 42,000 barangays nationwide.
Macasaet spoke with barangay officials attending the Liga ng Mga Barangay’s National Congress on August 13 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City to encourage them to become SSS members and receive a lifetime monthly pension when they retire from public service.
“Many of our barangay officials and workers serve their constituents for 10 or 20 years. However, when they retire from public service, they do not get any separation pay or monthly pension. Now, through SSS membership, we are offering them an opportunity to get a monthly pension when they retire from serving as barangay officials,” Macasaet said.
Macasaet therefore encourages barangay officials and workers to secure an SS number and start paying SSS monthly contributions so they can automatically get social security coverage from SSS. This will require paying at least 120 monthly SSS contributions to entitle them to a lifetime monthly pension upon their retirement from barangay service.
“Even if the payment of monthly SSS contributions is made intermittently, that is fine. Monthly payments that continue until they reach at least 120 monthly contributions entitle the SSS member to a pension for life,” he explained.
Macasaet said that contributing to the SSS is an investment in their future. Aside from retirement benefits, the SSS member is likewise entitled to benefits in the event of sickness, maternity, disability, unemployment, funeral, and death, he explained.
By becoming an SSS member, barangay officials and workers get additional coverage from the Employees’ Compensation (EC) Program for work-related sickness or injury resulting in disability or death.
SSS hails Magna Carta for barangay officials In the Philippine Congress, House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez is pushing for the passage of a Magna Carta for barangay officials to empower local government units (LGUs) to allocate funds for the SSS contributions of barangay officials. He vowed to champion the legislative measures so that barangay officials could become SSS members at no cost to them.
SSS President Rolando Ledesma Macasaet lauded House Speaker Romualdez and Isabela 6th District Representative Faustino A. Dy V for filing the proposed bill that will allow LGUs to cover the monthly SSS contributions of barangay officials so they can receive lifetime pension.
Macasaet likewise thanked National President Maria Katrina Jessica G. Dy of Liga ng mga Barangay for allowing SSS to explain the value of social security coverage to barangay officials.
SSS brings e-services closer to barangay officials SSS EVP for Branch Operations Sector Voltaire P. Agas has arranged for an SSS booth in the Phiiippine Congress to assist barangay officials in applying for SSS and employer numbers and in verifying their contribution or loan records. The SSS brought its Starlink and PLDT internet kits to ensure nonstop online service to barangay officials and workers regarding their applications for SSS membership.
Agas said the SSS booth provides online services such as creating or resetting their My.SSS account, updating member and contact details, generating a Payment Reference Number (PRN), enrolling in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM), and the filing of benefit claims and loan applications.
