THE long weekend commemorating All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day was, indeed, a time of celebration, when family members near and far came together to honor the memories of loved ones gone. It was a time of reunion and family bonding spent over plenty of food and kakanin. It was a time of remembering one’s dearly departed and reflecting on one’s mortality. Thinking about death and dying at such a time as this was inevitable.
It used to be taboo to talk about how one wants to be buried when the time comes. Many people these days, however, have become more practical and want better control on how they want to be buried. From the choice of cremation to the clothes to wear, more people are now planning their own funeral. This may sound morbid, but it’s more pragmatic. Oftentimes, part of the preparation is also getting a memorial plan, so that those who are left behind will no longer be financially burdened.
One other way to help ease the burden of a bereaved family is through the Social Security System (SSS). When a member passes away, his beneficiaries become entitled to the death benefit, which is a cash benefit paid either in monthly pension or lump sum. The monthly pension is granted to the primary beneficiaries of a deceased member who had paid 36 monthly contributions before the semester of death, while the lump-sum amount is granted to the primary beneficiaries of a deceased member who had paid less than 36 monthly contributions before the semester of death. In case of secondary beneficiaries, they are paid a lump- sum benefit only.
The primary beneficiaries are the legitimate dependent spouse, until he/she remarries, and the dependent legitimate, legitimated, or legally adopted and illegitimate children of the member who are not yet 21 or over 21 years old, provided they are incapacitated and incapable of self-support due to physical or mental disability that is congenital in nature or acquired during minority.
In the absence of primary beneficiaries, the dependent parents are considered the secondary beneficiaries. In their absence, any other person designated by the member in his or her SSS records is considered as the beneficiary. If there is no designated beneficiary, the benefit shall be paid to the deceased member’s legal heirs in accordance with the law of succession under the Family Code of the Philippines.
The monthly pension depends on the member’s paid contributions, including the credited years of service (CYS) and the number of dependent minor children, who should not exceed five. The monthly pension is paid for not less than 60 months.
The primary beneficiaries of a deceased member who had paid less than 36 monthly contributions shall be entitled to lump-sum benefit, which shall be the higher of a) monthly pension multiplied by the number of monthly contributions paid prior to the semester of death; or b) 12 times the monthly pension.
The secondary beneficiaries of the deceased member shall be entitled to a lump-sum benefit equivalent to: a) 36 times the monthly pension—if the member has paid at least 36 monthly contributions prior to the semester of death; or b) monthly pension times the number of monthly contributions paid or 12 times the monthly pension, whichever is higher—if the member has paid less than 36 monthly contributions prior to the semester of death.
Aside from the death benefit, a funeral grant is given to whoever pays the burial expenses of the deceased member or pensioner. Starting August 1, 2015, the amount of the funeral grant was increased to a variable amount ranging from a minimum of P20,000 to a maximum of P40,000, depending on the member’s paid contributions and CYS.
It’s always better to prepare for life’s eventualities, such as death. As the saying goes, the only certainty in life is death. In ancient Rome, memento mori (remember that you are mortal or remember that you have to die) is a constant reminder to victorious conquering generals to keep their feet constantly on the ground. In Christianity, this phrase is a reminder that one can go anytime, thus, one must be spiritually ready at all times and must live a life in accordance with God’s will.
For more details on SSS programs, members can drop by the nearest SSS branch, visit the SSS web site (www.sss.gov.ph), or contact the SSS call center at 920-6446 to 55, which accepts calls from 7 a.m. on Monday all the way to 7 a.m. on Saturday.
Susie G. Bugante is the vice president for public affairs and special events of the SSS. Send comments about this column to susiebugante.bmirror@gmail.com.