SSS targets 32M electronic transactions by 2020

The Social Security System (SSS) is targeting about 32.3 million electronic transactions in 2020 to attract members into using online platforms in transacting with the state-run pension fund.

SSS president and CEO Aurora Ignacio said the pension fund will enhance its electronic service delivery by including more transactions and expanding the payment channels for the convenience of paying members.

“We’re headed towards the direction of making SSS transactions easy and accessible for our members through the utilization of agile technology. We’d like to make sure that through the digitalization of our core service deliveries, we will be able to provide faster, easier, and accessible services for our members,” Ignacio said.

“Electronic services are beneficial to both SSS and our members and pensioners. SSS saves on overhead expenses while our members save time, money, and effort when they use our electronic facilities,” she added.

Out of 37.16 million transactions recorded by the pension fund in January to June 2019, about 72% or 26.63 million were done over-the-counter and only 10.54 million or 28% were done through electronic channels, SSS data showed.

“We recognize that it is a continuing challenge for us to shift our members and pensioners to use the self-service online facilities of SSS,” Ignacio said.

“We’re looking to turn the tables and make more members transact through online facilities instead of over-the-counter transactions. By 2020, we are targeting to triple the current 10.54 million web transactions to 32.2 million,” she said.

SSS data also showed that out of the 14.95 million paying members in January to June, only 37% or 5.49 million individual members are registered on its website.

“We hope to increase this number to about 8 million in 2020 or an additional of more or less 3 million web-registered members,” Ignacio said.

The 396,686 employers paying SSS contributions, on the other hand, were all registered online.

SSS currently has six electronic channels accessible to members and pensioners, including the SSS Website-My.SSS, SSS Mobile App, Self-Service Express Terminal (SET), Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), Text-SSS and Contribution payments through GCash.

“Usage of these electronic facilities has increased by 8%, reaching 10.54 million compared with data from January to June of last year. We’re hoping to further improve these numbers by 2020,” Ignacio said.

The pension fund is eyeing to eliminate the use of checks in disbursing benefit claims in favor of PESONet transactions and the thru-the-bank program.

As part of the initial digitalization implementation, 33 SSS branches will be renovated with larger e-Center areas. —Ted Cordero/VDS, GMA News