THE Social Security System (SSS) was set up basically as a pension fund for private sector workers, who are no longer able to work due to old age and disability. It also takes care of its members’ short-term needs in the form of sickness and maternity benefits. But its mandate goes beyond taking care of its members. It also provides for the spouses and minor or dependent children in the event of the members’ death.
The payment of death benefits is simple under a normal family setup: The SSS member (either father or mother) dies and the legal spouse with minor kids receive the monthly pension.
But the colorful, complicated and a la-teleserye lives of some SSS members challenge the judgment of the claims processors of SSS.
One case is Remy’s death-benefit claim. Her husband abandoned her for another woman about eight years ago. He died at age 55 with three minor children by his common-law-wife Gina. Both Remy and Gina filed for death benefits in separate SSS branches.
Another case is Mario who replaced his legal spouse as SSS beneficiary with his other woman five years after he left his family. Both his legal spouse and common-law wife applied for death benefits with the SSS, when he suddenly died in an accident. With a centralized processing system, SSS personnel could see the status of claims applications filed anywhere in the country such as the cases cited above. Cases like these undergo careful evaluation to ensure that only the rightful beneficiaries are granted benefits.
However complicated the death claim benefit is, SSS is guided by these questions: Is the claimant the correct beneficiary? Is the claim in accordance with the Social Security Law?
Under the law, a member’s primary beneficiaries are his or her:
Dependent, legal spouse who has not remarried or cohabited and has no children with other partners.
Dependent legitimate, legitimated or legally adopted and illegitimate children below 21 years old, unmarried, unemployed or incapacitated if older than 21.
As such, Remy is entitled to the death benefits of her husband since she has not remarried or cohabited with a new partner. The three minor children will also have a share in the death benefits equivalent to 10
percent of Remy’s monthly pension or P250, whichever is higher.
In the case of Mario, his legal spouse is entitled to death benefits because, like Remy, she has not remarried or lived-in with a new partner. Unless there is a Court Order declaring the marriage null and void, the legal spouse is the primary beneficiary of an SSS member.
With the death benefits, SSS puts meaning to the term “life after death.” After all, this death benefit in the form of monthly pension if the deceased member had at least 36 monthly contributions or lump sum amount if not, is given to the beneficiaries to enable them to go on with their lives despite their loss.
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For more information about the SSS and its programs, call our 24-hour call center at (632) 920-6446 to 55, Monday to Friday, or send an e-mail to member_relations@sss.gov.ph.
Susie G. Bugante is the vice president for public affairs and special events of the Social Security System. Send comments about this column to susiebugante.bmirror@gmail.com.