The Social Security System member-pensioners will soon receive their 13th-month pension along with their pension within next month, according to a regional official of the SSS.
This is in continuation of the annual tradition that started in 1988 as the SSS’ way of improving pensioners’ benefits.
SSS Davao Information Officer Mario Daray said the 13th-month pension of retirees and survivor pensioners is equivalent to the number of their regular monthly pensions, excluding the career allowance for disability pensioners.
“Partial disability pensioners should be given a full year’s allowance for them to be eligible for the extra month pension,” Daray said, adding that children receiving dependent’s pensions are also entitled to the 13th-month pension.
Daray added that SSS members or their beneficiaries may claim their 13th-month pensions on a schedule depending on the members’ contingency dates for retirement, disability or death.
“Most banks, however, allow pensioner-depositors to withdraw their benefits earlier than their contingency dates to enable them to enjoy the Christmas season,” Daray said.
Daray added that retirement pensioners, at the same time, death beneficiaries of their deceased spouses who were members of the SSS, are entitled to separate 13th-month pensions under the two benefits.
He said that pensioners who also personally availed of the first 18 months advance pension and the three months advance pension for calamity victims are also entitled to the 13th-month pension, pointing out that pensioners may expect to have this amount deposited in their account within December.
Daray added that the pensioners might also receive their cheques within the month of December for those people who are receiving their pensions in cheques.
“The pensioner is entitled to a full 13th-month pension on December regardless of the date of settlement of a retirement, death or total disability claim,” Daray said.
