According to SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio, pensions were received 15,151 unemployment benefit applications in 2019 which is 14,895 were approved. P178 million of benefit releases.

The newest program of the SSS is implemented in August 2019, which is the unemployment program in which you are qualified if you involuntarily separated from work to have an allowance twice the average monthly salary. Benefit applications were received in October with over 4,596 approved applications which are to P54.61 million released to only qualified members.

Mr. Ignacio stated that they’re hoping that the newest benefit will help more SSS members during these times of pandemic of unexpected job loss. He added that the program was patterned after the unemployment benefits program in European countries. Our primary objective is to assist them while they are looking for another job after they were involuntarily separated from their work. They may also use the benefit for their retooling and capacity building to find a better job or work that will suit their skills.

Qualifications for unemployment benefit.

• Must not be more than 60 years old (At time of involuntary separation exp. For underground and surface mineworkers and racehorse jockeys.)
• Must not be more than 50 and 55 years old.
• Unemployment benefits can be claimed only once every three years.
• Member-applicant must have paid at least 36 monthly contributions. (12 months of those should have been paid within the 18-month period prior to the month of involuntary separation.)
• Required to submit a DOLE-issued certification establishing the nature and date of involuntary separation as well as the Notice of Termination from the employer or the Affidavit of Termination of Employment.
• Applicants should present an original and photocopy of one primary ID card or document or in the absence of which, any two ID cards or documents, both with signature and at least one with photo at any SSS local branch or foreign office. 

 The reason for separation should be any of the following details.

• Installation of labor-saving devices
• Redundancy (The state of being no longer employed because there is no more work available.)
• Retrenchment
• closure or cessation of operation
• Disease or Illness 

You will not able to claim or to qualify if separation from employment because of an employee? serious misconduct, willful disobedience to lawful orders, gross and habitual neglect of duties, fraud or willful breach of trust, a commission of a crime or offense, and analogous cases like abandonment, gross inefficiency, and disloyalty/conflict of interest.

The benefit will be credited to your savings account ATM or Union Bank of Philippines (UBP) Quick Card. If the member has no UMID card enrolled as ATM or UBP Quick Card, the member will be instructed by the branch to open or avail of the UBP Quick Card to have their benefit automatically credited to their savings account and can be availed thru UBP Kiosks in selected SSS branches nationwide.

These statements are from SSS.