ILOILO CITY — Members of the Social Security System (SSS) now have more choices where to transact, with five branches and eight service offices already available in Panay and Guimaras.
Assistant Vice President for Western Visayas Division Raul Casiano, in an interview Thursday, said these offices offer complete services, except for payments. The received transactions are forwarded to their mother branch for processing.
The Iloilo Central Branch of SSS caters to transactions from service offices in Guimaras, Passi City, Robinsons Mall in Ledesma and Jaro. It also has another branch in Molo district that caters to clients from southern Iloilo and nearby districts.
SSS also has branches in Roxas City, Kalibo and Antique. The service offices in Capiz and Antique are situated inside Robinsons Mall while that of Kalibo is in Boracay.
It is also expected to open another service office in Ungka, Pavia following the opening of the Robinsons Place in the area. It will also be under the Iloilo City Central branch.
“It will now be faster considering the many offices we have, especially that we are online. All data available in one branch are also available in the service office,” Casiano said.
Service offices do not receive payment but there are readily available “bayad centers” within the area that receive SSS payments, he added.
He said that before, payment was only accepted in banks and SSS offices. Currently, bayad centers are available anywhere.
“We encourage our clients to pay their contribution through the bayad center so they need not go to our office or banks,” Casiano said.
Meanwhile, he encouraged Ilonggos to become an SSS member to be able to enjoy the benefits it provides.
Casiano noted that apart from the retirement pension that members receive when they reach 60 years old, they can also enjoy loans, maternity, disability and death benefits, so long as they are not delinquent members. (Perla Lena/PNA)
