SSS online transactions surge in 2020
STATE-RUN Social Security System (SSS) saw transactions done through its digital platforms more than double last year, with the number of online transactions making up for 75% of the total, amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The state pension fund saw the share of online transactions increase last year to 75% of the total from 35% in 2019, while manual transactions went down to 25% from 65% as more Filipinos used its digital platforms, SSS Vice- President Normita M. Doctor told a press briefing on Wednesday.
“There was really a surge in the number of online transactions last year brought about by the pandemic wherein there was limited mobility and our members can’t go to SSS branches and offices,” Ms. Doctor said.
She said registrations on the My.SSS portal jumped by 141% in 2020 to 10.6 million from 1.36 million in 2019. Around 99% of contribution payments were done through digital channels, the official said, while downloads of the SSS mobile application surged 265% to 11.4 million last year from 3.12 million the year before.
Meanwhile, in January, transactions done via the My.SSS portal surged to 70,590 transactions per day, while its mobile application posted an average daily usage of 254,288.
SSS ramped up its digitization efforts last year amid the pandemic, launching online applications for calamity and pension loans, as well as for retirement, unemployment and funeral claims. Simple corrections of existing data of members and the submission of sickness benefit reimbursement applications for employers can now also be done online, among other services.
The state-run pension fund said its digitization efforts aim to shorten the processing time of applications, claims, and disbursement of loan or benefit proceeds.
“For the past years, we have been gradually shifting our stakeholders’ way of transacting with us from face-to-face to online. The pandemic motivated us further to fast track our digital transformation initiatives, not only to provide our stakeholders with faster, more convenient, and more efficient means of transacting with us but also to ensure their safety,” SSS President and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio said in a statement on Wednesday.
For this year, Ms. Doctor said the state pension fund will continue to improve its digital platforms so members can make corrections to their existing information and to also include employers’ registration and submission of employment records.
Online filing of disability and death claims and maternity benefit applications are also targeted to be rolled out this year.
She said the SSS mobile application will also be improved so it can offer the other services offered in My.SSS online portal. — B.M. Laforga
