The Social Security System said yesterday it recorded over 12.3 million paying members, as of May 2021, that was 13.6 percent lower than the 14.2-million count in the same period last year.
SSS president and chief executive officer, Aurora Ignacio, attributed the decline in paying members to the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic that pushed some establishments to close their businesses and let go of their employees.
The latest paying member tally comprises 9.6 million employed members, accounting for 78 percent of the total. It is followed by 1.9 million voluntary paying members, 476,000 self-employed members, and 333,000 overseas Filipino worker members.
“PSA data, as of April 2021, showed that about 3.44 million Filipinos are jobless. It appears to hold water, particularly if we compare this with the SSS data that about 3.28 million members failed to pay their monthly contributions in 2020. To assist our members in this period of financial uncertainty, which affected their payment capacity, we extended contribution payment deadlines by up to five times since the start of the government-imposed lockdowns in March 2020, so they can maintain their active membership,” Ignacio said.
She reminded members and employers that several payment channels are available for secure and convenient remittance of contributions. They have the option to make use of over-the-counter transactions in partner banks and non-banks, internet banking, mobile facility, and My.SSS account and SSS Mobile App via PayMaya and BPI Online, the press release said.
Employers can also make over-the-counter contribution payments through partner banks, and via internet banking through the banks’ web facility, and eGov BancNet and non-bank collecting partners. They are also reminded that a Payment Reference Number (PRN) is needed when remitting SSS contributions. Information on how to generate PRNs may be accessed through this link http://bitly.ws/e9Vj.
The complete list of SSS payment partners is available at http://bitly.ws/e5Kc, the press release added.*
