THE Social Security System (SSS) has vowed to hasten the digitalization of its core and business processes to streamline further its processes in line with the ease of doing business law.
In a statement issued on Thursday, SSS President and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio was quoted as saying she aims to fast-track the full computerization of the pension fund’s core and business processes under her term.
Ignacio said her vow was based on the instruction of Social Security Commission ex-officio Chairman Carlos G. Dominguez “to speed up the transition to the digitalization process.”
“This is one of his priority policies under the new charter of the pension fund,” Ignacio said.
The SSS was ordered by President Duterte in his fourth State of the Nation address (Sona) on July 22 to reform services and simplify processes as he signed the ease of doing business law last year to make the delivery of state services more efficient.
At present, SSS services, such as online application for SS number issuance, Payment Reference Number (PRN) inquiry and generation, employment report submission, submission of contribution (R-3) and loan collection lists (ML-2), salary loan application, certification of salary loan application, as well as filing of maternity and sickness notification, can now be made through different electronic and self-service facilities of the pension fund.
These electronic and self-service channels of the SSS include the SSS web site, mobile application, self-service express terminals, interactive voice response system and “Text-SSS.”
Apart from these member services, the SSS has also implemented the real-time posting of contributions (RTPC) program in 2018 where contribution payments are posted immediately through the use of the PRN.
“We believe that through these online and electronic channels, our members and pensioners can easily transact their business with us,” Ignacio added. “In fact, we have reengineered our ease of doing business guidelines in the SSS to expedite and properly address the services needed by our transacting members.”
Duterte also mentioned that the SSS is one of the top 5 agencies that need to “drastically” improve its services based on the number of complaints received through Hotline 8888 and Contact Center ng Bayan (CCB).
SSS data showed that in 2018, SSS-related concerns referred by 8888 and CCB reached 6,609. Of the total number of referred cases, 6,554 cases were resolved, which was a 99.55-percent resolution rate. The remaining 55 cases are still being attended to or have been referred to a branch or department for processing and continuous monitoring.
The SSS replies to cases from CSC-Hotline 8888 within 72 hours. Meanwhile, the referral of cases to concerned branch, department, or unit, and replying to cases by the concerned branch, department or unit, and sending feedback to the CSC, are done within 24 hours.
“The pension fund would like to maintain a high-resolution rate by immediately responding to member concerns and heeding to their sentiments,” Ignacio said. “We also find innovative ways and create new programs that would make their transactions faster and more convenient.”
Dominguez told reporters in an interview that he also instructed the SSS earlier on to reduce its cost of doing business as part of its digitalization efforts.
“That was my first review with the SSS [wherein] I told them, you know the way you’re doing your business,” he said.
Dominguez added that based on the Department of Finance’s estimate, it costs P7 for the SSS to deliver P100. He said “that is too expensive.”
He thinks countries like Malaysia costs only P3 to deliver P100.
Dominguez said he told SSS officials: “You cannot continue like that. That is not government money; that is the money of the people.”
He explained that the first thing that the SSS should do in terms of digitalization is to develop a system wherein these cost can be reduced for its members.
“Your inefficiency is costing the public money, directly. So I said the first thing you do, you digitize; you develop a system that you can communicate with your clientele through modern technology, use [of] the cell phone or a smart app,” Dominguez said. “Other countries can do it, why can’t we? And then we can reduce our [cost] and actually expand the benefits and make it easier for them to get the benefits.”