Stewarding 43-M futures

Approximately 39 percent of Filipinos rely on the Social Security System (SSS) for social insurance and financial protection against life’s uncertainties.

In recent months, however, the government-owned and -controlled corporation has found itself under public scrutiny following the release of the Commission on Audit’s (CoA) 2024 Annual Audit Report, which flagged questionable transactions that took place during the tenure of former SSS president and CEO Rolando Macasaet.

With more than 43 million members seeking stability amid a volatile political and private-sector climate, Macasaet’s successor, current SSS president and CEO Robert Joseph de Claro, faces the delicate task of restoring public trust while responding to growing demands for stronger governance.

“We’re not a financial institution. We’re a pension fund,” De Claro told DAILY TRIBUNE in a roundtable interview last Monday, 15 December. Joined by SSS Commissioner Alvin Limlingan, De Claro visited the DAILY TRIBUNE headquarters to discuss the agency’s recent reforms and directly address issues raised in the CoA report, beginning with the now-infamous P92 tissue paper rolls.

CoA reported that SSS purchased 143,424 rolls of toilet paper valued at P13.195 million, or approximately P92 per roll. Public reaction was swift, with many comparing the cost to standard household toilet paper priced between P10 and P50 per roll.

De Claro clarified that the procured items were not ordinary household tissue, but commercial-grade rolls, thicker, more durable, comparable to those used in public restrooms, which typically retail between P90 and P200, depending on size and ply.

“The 143,000 rolls of toilet paper purchased should be viewed in relation to our 850 toilets. That translates to about 162 rolls per toilet per year. If you divide that by 260 working days, that is less than one roll per day,” De Claro said.

He also noted that SSS is not covered by the General Appropriations Act (GAA) and therefore is not subject to the GAA’s two-month supply limit, another point flagged by CoA.

De Claro has been with SSS since 2023, representing the employers’ sector on the Social Security Commission, where he currently serves as vice chairperson.

He also addressed audit findings involving overpayments to deceased pensioners and nearly P3 million in unpaid funeral benefits caused by computational lapses. CoA reported P2.833 million in underpayments, which De Claro attributed to delays in death reporting handled by external agencies.

“Today, 99 percent of our pension goes through [banks]. [That results in] direct credit to the member’s account. So, in cases that SSS didn’t report that they’re dead, that credit will continue,” he explained, adding that estate settlement delays often lead to frozen accounts — contributing to discrepancies cited in the audit.

Beyond addressing legacy issues, De Claro highlighted several reforms initiated under his leadership to strengthen member welfare, including a historic pension reform program launched in September.

“The pension reform program is a three-year program that, for the pensioners, would provide increases of 10 percent per annum for the next three years. If you’re an existing pensioner, your pension will increase by 33 percent after three years,” he said. The program, set to conclude by the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term in 2028, is expected to deliver P120 to P140 billion in additional benefits to members.

De Claro also pointed to the calamity loan program rolled out in response to recent natural disasters. Announced formally by the President last Thursday, the program offers interest rates as low as 7 percent and includes a six-month payment moratorium.

Under De Claro’s tenure, SSS has emphasized transparency, accountability and service modernization. His message since assuming office has been consistent: security and dignity for every SSS member — not just in words, but in policy and practice.