SSS member's disability claim declined; records show he's dead

A  Social Security System member says he was unable to file disability claims after records showed he died twenty years ago.

Fermin Entrina said he learned about his status in 2012 after attempting to file for disability claim. However, the SSS said a member declared his death on record to supposedly claim his funeral benefit worth P20,000 last September 2004.

“Ang sabi nila hindi na raw ako pwede mag-claim ng disability gawa ng patay na raw ako. Meron na raw nag-claim ng funeral ko,” said Entrina in GMA Kapuso Action Man Emil Sumangil’s report on “24 Oras” Monday. 

(They said I cannot file for disability claim. Someone claimed my funeral benefit.)

“Sabi hindi raw tatagal, maaayos daw ‘yun, maibalik daw SSS ko. Eh umabot na pong mahigit 12 taon na po akong ano eh pabalik-balik sa kanila nagfo-follow-up…Hanggang ngayon wala pa rin po…hindi pa rin po na-untag yung SSS ko,” he said.

(They told me it could be fixed but I have been processing it for 12 years and yet, it is still not un-tagged.)

The SSS, for its part, explained the un-tagging process.

“Ang current protocol ng SSS, we conduct verification, ‘yung fact of death ho, nagco-conduct kami niyan. With that particular case, we will still investigate kung ano talaga ang nangyari so under investigation ho ‘yang kaso na 'yan,” said SSS Spokesperson Marissa Mapalo.

(We need to conduct verification as per our protocol. In this case, we will still investigate what happened.)

“During that time kasi we are transitioning from the manual verification to the digitalization natin so it might be the cause of the problem ng pagde-delay. But rest assured na-untagged na ho namin yung kanyang record. Malinis na ho 'yan at wala na hong naapektuhan na kanyang benepisyo,” she said. 

(We were transitioning from manual to digitalization at that time so that might be the cause of the delay. But rest assured, we untagged his records and his benefits are unaffected.)

Mapalo added: “Ngayon ho, pwede na ho siyang makapagclaim ng anumang benepisyo na pwede ho niyang i-claim sa amin.”

(He can now claim any benefits from us.)

Fermin thanked GMA for its help. — Sundy Locus/BAP, GMA Integrated News

 “Sana marami pa kayong matulungan na kagaya ko,” he said. 

(I hope you’ll be able to help more people like me.)