Retiree pensioners of the Social Security System who are 84 years and older are no longer required to present themselves for annual confirmation, President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel Dooc said in a statement.
“The waiver of the ACOP [annual confirmation of pensioners] requirement for retiree pensioners here in the Philippines is one of our ways to bring better quality service to our members. This new guideline will allow our pensioners to save time and money,” Dooc said.
However, pensioners who are abroad and have total disability still need to do the ACOP. The same goes for survivor pensioners and minor or incapacitated dependent pensioners, he added.
Dooc said the agency would instead conduct a verification procedure to confirm whether pensioners are still alive and are entitled to receive benefits.
Implemented in 2012, the ACOP ensures that pensioners receive the benefits themselves, and not other people who could benefit from their pension. It requires pensioners to report annually to SSS or their depository banks to ensure the continuous payment of their benefits.
SSS will do mandatory home visits to check pensioners who are 85 years and older, and survivor pensioners who cannot report personally due to sickness, illness, or injury.
The agency also advised pensioners residing abroad to use the ACOP through video conference facility for easier and faster compliance.
Non-compliance with ACOP would result in the automatic suspension of pension payments a month after the birth month of the pensioner or SSS member, the agency said.
