THE Social Security System (SSS) announced the resumption of its Annual Confirmation of Pensioners (ACOP) Program or their yearly reporting to SSS beginning October 2021 to March 31, 2022 through various alternative ways.
“We want to remind our pensioners that it is important to comply with ACOP so they can continue to receive their monthly pensions. SSS implemented ACOP in 2012 to make sure that only the rightful beneficiaries will continue to enjoy the SSS benefit. Non-compliance with the yearly reporting will lead to the suspension of their monthly pensions,” SSS President and Chief Aurora Ignacio explained.
If pensioners fail to comply with ACOP on the schedule mentioned earlier, SSS will temporarily suspend their monthly pensions, starting with their May 2022 pensions. “However, if the pensioners have already complied with their yearly reporting for 2021, they are no longer required to re-submit their duly accomplished ACOP form and other required documents,” Ignacio said.
Those who are required to comply under the new guidelines are:
* retirement pensioners residing abroad;
* total disability pensioners;
* survivor pensioners; and;
* dependent (minor/incapacitated) pensioners.
Ignacio added that ACOP ensures that SSS gives the benefits only to those entitled under the SS law. She shared that there were cases in the past wherein some pensioners continuously receive monthly pensions although they are already dead. “ACOP protects pensioners or their beneficiaries as well as the SSS fund from these kinds of fraudulent claims,” she continued.
From the start of the pandemic last year until Sept. 30, 2021, SSS has temporarily suspended the pensioners’ yearly reporting to SSS for humanitarian consideration and to keep SSS pensioners safe from COVID-19.
“In previous years, SSS requires its pensioners to report personally at the nearest SSS branch or depository bank. However, considering that we are currently in a pandemic, we have adopted safer ways of conducting ACOP that will not require personal appearances from SSS pensioners or their beneficiaries,” Ignacio explained.
The first option is video conference via Microsoft Teams, which is only available for pensioners residing abroad. The pensioners can send a request for an appointment to ofw.relations@sss.gov.ph and wait for an e-mail confirmation from SSS that contains their transaction reference number (TRN) and the link to the Microsoft Teams. During the scheduled video conferencing, they should present one primary ID card or at least two secondary ID cards.
The second option is to send the required documents to the e-mail address of the nearest SSS branch or foreign office. Pensioners can check the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph) for a list of SSS branch and foreign offices with their respective e-mail addresses. This method is applicable for survivor pensioners, dependent children and their guardians, and pensioners residing in the Philippines.
In submitting their ACOP compliance, they should follow this format in their e-mail subject: ACOP Compliance, Pensioner’s Name, SS number. An example of this format is ACOP Compliance, Juan de la Cruz, 01-2345678-9.
The third option is to send the required documents through mail or courier service. Survivor pensioners, and dependent children and their guardians can send it to the nearest SSS branch office. Meanwhile, pensioners residing abroad can send it to the SSS OFW-Contact Services Section, SSS Main Office, Quezon City, or the nearest SSS foreign office.
Pensioners who will use the second and third options to comply with ACOP should send the following documents:
* a duly accomplished ACOP Form;
* one primary or two secondary ID cards;
* a Self Declaration Form of non-remarriage/non-cohabitation, for survivor pensioners;
* a half-body photo that shows them holding a current newspaper or a TV news crawler or ticker as a background wherein the news headline and date are visible.
The fourth option is to use the drop box found in SSS branches to comply with their yearly reporting. The option is applicable for total disability pensioners residing in the Philippines and pensioner’s representatives. They can use drop box to submit the documents mentioned above.
“For total disability pensioners, they need to submit their recent medical certificate issued by their attending physician or any government physician. They should also provide a certified true copy of their laboratory results conducted within one year from their birth month,” Ignacio said.
Lastly, total disability pensioners can request for Domiciliary Medical Service or home from SSS. They can send a written request to the SSS Medical Services Section by e-mail or send it to the nearest SSS branch office via drop box or by mail./PN
