SSS branches at 100% capacity to address influx of members, claimants

The Social Security System (SSS) said all its 281 branches nationwide under Alert Level 1 will be in 100% operations to address the expected influx of transacting members, particularly in certain SSS branches in the National Capital Region (NCR).

SSS said all transacting members were accommodated by the branches, particularly those some 100 members who were reported to have camped outside the SSS Diliman Branch along East Avenue in Quezon City.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora Ignacio said the state fund agency will continue to monitor the number of members personally transacting in SSS branches. “We will evaluate the situation to determine if there is a need to further extend service hours and hold special operations on Saturdays,” she added.

“With the reduction in Covid-19 alert levels, we are now in 100% operational capacity since all our employees are tasked to their offices,” Ignacio explained.

As this developed, SSS emphasizes its call for members, claimants, and the transacting public to use the agency’s online facilities such as My.SSS and SSS Mobile App for their various transactions with the state pension fund.

“We continue to recognize the health, safety and security concerns of our members even if the Covid-19 alert levels have been reduced. We urge them to make full use of the agency’s online facilities, especially the My.SSS portal. There are more than 30 member services available on My.SSS. They can even access some of these services on the SSS Mobile App,” Ignacio said.

The SSS president explained that there is priority given to online branch appointment holders. Members may use the appointment system in My.SSS to indicate the preferred date and time that they want to be accommodated in their chosen SSS branch.

The branches have been tasked to set up special lanes for those holding online appointments.

SSS has been accepting online submissions for several transactions through My.SSS since 2011. My.SSS is the pension fund’s online service portal which can be found on the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph).

The “File Anywhere” policy of the state pension fund remains in effect. This allows SSS members to transact at the nearest branch of their choice. Currently, there are 58 branches in NCR, about 135 branches in Luzon, 44 branches in Visayas, and 44 branches in Mindanao.

SSS also explained that the agency has digitalized all processing of claim and loan applications in all its 281 branches nationwide, not just in the SSS Diliman branch.

Ignacio, however, pointed out that processing of SSS transactions is based on the documents submitted by transacting members.

“I urge the members to make sure to present all required documents to speed up the processing time. The full list of requirements for SSS transactions may be found in www.sss.gov.ph, https://www.facebook.com/SSSPh.

“We want to assure our members that we are continuously finding ways to improve our processes to better serve our members,” Ignacio concluded.