SSS extends deadline for premium, loan payments

MANILA, Philippines — State-run Social Security System (SSS) has extended the deadline for the remittance of contributions and loan payments amid the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic. 

During yesterday’s Laging Handa press briefing, SSS president and chief executive officer Aurora Ignacio said premium payments for the months of January, February and March may be paid until June 1 without penalty.

“We extended the payment until June because no one can go to banks or other payment outlets. There is no penalty,” Ignacio said.

According to an advisory posted by the state pension fund on its Facebook page, the extension covers all regular and household employees, self-employed and voluntary members, and non-working spouse members.

“For employers with approved installment proposals under the Contribution Penalty Condonation Program, their post-dated checks due in February, March, April and May shall be deposited on June 1,” the SSS said.

In addition, Ignacio said the state pension fund also granted a moratorium on the payment of short-term loans.

She said payments for salary loans, calamity loans, emergency loans, and educational loans originally due this March or April may be settled in May.

“If the community quarantine gets extended, we will get approval to extend further the moratorium,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ignacio said the SSS is working to make unemployment benefit applications available online. Currently, the benefit can only be availed over-the-counter.

She said the state fund is expediting the development of the system for the benefit of members who were displaced due to the community quarantine imposed to contain the outbreak.

“We hope to finish it by April to make the program available online to members who lost their jobs because of COVID-19,” the SSS chief said.

To recall, the state pension fund has committed to mobilize P1.2 billion to provide unemployment benefits to displaced workers due to the pandemic.

Ignacio said the SSS would also offer calamity loan assistance to its COVID- affected members nationwide.

“Members can apply (for this loan) when we go online some time in April. They can avail loans equivalent to their monthly salary credit. We will not require any document since the whole country is under state of calamity,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), in a statement, said that it is now accepting loan applications online through its website.

“GSIS is exerting all efforts to ensure uninterrupted service delivery to our members and pensioners. This online loan application process is just one of the proactive measures we are taking to serve the urgent financial needs of our members and pensioners during this time of crisis,” GSIS president and general manager Macasaet said.