Can surviving relatives claim SSS benefits of deceased person?

Can the surviving family claim the Social Security System (SSS) benefits of a deceased person? 

In a "24 Oras" report on Wednesday, Kapuso Action Man Emil Sumangil reported that the late Mario Pura, died without receiving his retirement benefits from SSS. 

Pura passed away in June 2023 at the age of 75. 

He was an SSS member, but according to his family, it was too late when they realized that their father did not get his retirement benefits from SSS. 

"60 years old ang tatay ko na hindi nag-pension hanggang 75, namatay siya, bale 15 years po. Kung maaasikaso pa po ito. Iyon po ang tanong ng nanay ko," said Rowell Pura. 

(My father did not get his pension since he turned 60 until his death at 75 years old, that's 15 years. My mother wants to know if we can still get the retirement benefits.) 

When the elder Pura, his family only received burial and death claims.

"Ang panawagan ko sa SSS, sana po makuha na namin," said Yolanda Pura. 

(I am appealing to the SSS, I am hoping that we can still get it.) 

GMA Integrated News reached out to the agency to help the family. 

"Base sa ating record, yung ating member po na si Mr. Mario Pura mayroon po siyang hulog na 121 months at na-check po natin na pwede naman po nilang ma-claim yung retirement benefit na supposed to be nakuha niya noong siya ay nabubuhay pa," said Jay Labadia, Corporate Executive Officer of SSS. 

(Based on our record, our member Mr. Mario Pura has paid for 121 months and we have checked that his family can claim the retirement benefit that he was supposed to receive when he was still alive.)

"So from the time na nag-60th siya noong May 2008 hanggang noong a month before nung date of death niya, makukuha po ito ng kanyang surviving family," he added. 

(So from the time he turned 60 in May 2008 until a month before the date of his death, his surviving family will get benefits.) 

The SSS official acknowledged that it was the responsibility of the pension agency to remind its members to claim their benefits but said it was a challenge to do given that it has 42 million members.

"Hindi po natin talagang matututukan ang ating mga members na ma-advise po sila so ang paraan natin is yung ating mass platform," Labadia mentioned. 

(We can't advise all our members them, so our way to remind them is our mass platform.) 

The SSS is now contacting the Pura family to process the release of retirement benefits.

"We are expecting po na pagka na-comply po nila ngayong buwan yung kulang doon sa kanilang benefit application is ipapa-process po natin ‘to agad," Labadia added. 

(We are expecting that when they have completed the requirements this month, we will be able to release the balance.) —Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News