Social Security System (SSS) President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando Ledesma Macasaet pushed 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 the SSS membership, we are offering you an opportunity to get a monthly pension when you retire from being a barangay official,” Macasaet said.
Macasaet told them to secure an SS number and start paying their monthly contributions so they would automatically get social security coverage from SSS.
He urged them to pay at least 120 monthly SSS contributions to receive a lifetime monthly pension once they have retired.
“Even if you pay your monthly SSS contributions intermittently, that is fine. If you continue to pay until you reach at least 120 monthly contributions you will have a pension for life,” he explained.
Macasaet said that they should consider contributing to the SSS as an investment in their future. “Aside from retirement benefits, you will be entitled to sickness, maternity, disability, unemployment, funeral, and death benefits.”
Macasaet added that they can also take advantage of various SSS loan programs, such as salary and calamity, and 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
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez is pushing for the passage of a Magna Carta for barangay officials at the House of Representatives that will empower local government units (LGUs) to allocate funds for the SSS contributions of barangay officials.
Romualdez vowed to champion the legislative measures so that barangay officials could become SSS members at no cost to them.
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, saying, “This move shows how much President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. cares for the country’s barangay leaders,” Macasaet said.
Moreover, Macasaet thanked Liga ng mga Barangay National President Maria Katrina Jessica G. Dy for allowing SSS to explain the value of social security coverage to barangay officials.
SSS brings e-services closer to barangay officials
SSS Executive Vice President for Branch Operations Sector Voltaire P. Agas said that SSS set up 50 laptops manned by SSS personnel, which assisted barangay officials in getting their SS numbers.
Agas said that SSS brought its Starlink and PLDT internet kits to ensure the nonstop service provision to those attending the event.
“We put up an SSS booth in the National Congress to assist barangay officials in their SSS transactions such as applying for SS and employer numbers or verifying their contribution or loan records,” Agas said.
Agas said barangay officials also conducted 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 filing of benefit claims and loan applications.
