SSS pensioners get 13th month bonus 

By Rey Anthony H. Chiu

Published on December 6, 2018 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, December 1 (PIA)—For faithfully completing 120 months of contributions for one’s Social Security System (SSS) social protection, pensioners who have also helped prop up the government’s social pension funds are now eligible for the 13th month pension pay. 

"The SSS has been traditionally releasing the 13th month pension bonus since December 1988, following its approval as the SS Commission ruled such benefit in a resolution dated November 10, 1988," according to SSS Bohol Engr Alieta Basubas, sharing during the Kapihans a PIA. 

This too is in consideration of the regular tradition for granting the 13th month bonus for workers in the active labor force, and as a compliance by the SS Commission with other nation’s policies when they signed bilateral agreements with us, she explains further. 

She said SSS pensioners’ 13th month bonus is equivalent to what SSS grants to a member in his monthly pension, and this is available beginning November 29 until the first week of December, 2018. 

In fact, SSS has already released the 13th month pensioner bonus in mid-November, through partner banks and this should already be credited to the pensioner’s account by the first week of December, the Bohol SSS Chief said. 

The SSS also explained that there is no need for the pensioners to claim their bonuses at the SSS office as the traditional 13th month pension bonus can also be withdrawn via the traditional Automated Teller Machine credit or via the checks to arrive on regular registered mail as soon as these are delivered in the pensioner’s home. 

With the move this year, the SSS is expected to grant the P2,000 13th month pensioner’s bonus to some 2.4 million pensioners as the SSS has allocated some P 22 billion for this alone. 

About 16,000 SSS pensioners have been receiving their SSS pension through checks while the rest are through their automated teller machine systems, SSS sources said. 

Moreover, if a pensioner happens to be getting two pensions: one as survivor of a dead member and a personal pension, the pensioner can also get two 13th month bonus amount, added Michael Ian Mission, SSS information Officer, during the Kapihan sa PIA, aired live last Thursdsay. 

In cases when a pensioner member availed of the advance 18-month pension or SS Calamity Relief Package, the pensioner is still eligible to claim for the 13th month pensioners’ bonus, added Mission. 

In fact, SSS clarified that even if the pensioner’s pension has just started in December, he can still claim for the 13th month bonus, and when a pensioner has dependents, they could still claim for the pensioner’s 13th month bonus too. 

However, partial disability pensioners whose approved pensions stretches but are less than 12 months are not eligible for the 13th month pension, Basubas said. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

BONUSSS. SSS Bohol team led by Engr Alieta Basubas along with information Officer Michael Ian Mission detailed the pensioner's 13th month bonus and updated Kapihan abut the ongoing campaign to get local government units' casual contractual and job order workers into the social protection program as an added service of the LGU. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)