THE Social Security System (SSS) announced that starting last October 20, 2023, enhanced guidelines will be implemented for its Social Security (SS) Funeral Benefit Program.
“The new guidelines provided under SSS Circular 2023-009 aim to incentivize active membership by raising the maximum amount of funeral benefit to P60,000 and streamline the provision of funeral benefits to claimants, especially for surviving legal spouses,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said.
Under the said guidelines, claimants of deceased members with 36 or more monthly contributions may receive a variable amount from P20,000 to P60,000 in SS funeral benefits, depending on the member’s number of paid contributions and average monthly salary credit (AMSC).
On the other hand, the funeral benefit for members who paid at least one (1) but less than 36 monthly contributions up to the month of death shall be a fixed amount of P12,000.
The enhanced funeral benefit shall cover embalming services, burial transfer services and permits, funeral services (including church fees or its equivalent in other religions), cremation or interment services, purchase or rent of coffin, purchase, or rent of niche/cemetery/memorial lot/columbarium, and memorial/funeral insurance plan. The funeral expenses as indicated in the proof of payment, shall be reimbursed, but not to exceed the computed funeral benefit due.
The surviving legal spouse of a member will be given priority over other claimants.
Further, applications for funeral benefit will have a prescriptive period of filing of 10 years from the month of death of the member or pensioner, subject to terms and conditions as may be determined by the SSS.
SSS member-claimants must file their funeral benefit applications online through their My.SSS account at www.sss.gov.ph. Non-member claimants may file their applications at any SSS branch.
“As we continue to pursue the provision of meaningful social security protection through simpler, faster, and more convenient processes, we also want to emphasize that actively paying SSS contributions will not only enable our members to qualify or remain qualified to our benefit and loan programs but also allow them to attain higher and better benefits,” Macasaet said.
SSS Circular 2023-009 can be accessed at https://bit.ly/SSSCI2023-009. (UnliNews Online)
