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CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Social Security System (SSS) reminded pensioners born in May to complete their Annual Confirmation of Pensioners (ACOP) compliance before the end of the month to avoid the suspension of their monthly pensions.
In an advisory, SSS urged qualified pensioners to immediately submit their ACOP requirements to ensure uninterrupted pension releases, especially as the agency tightened monitoring under the Social Security Act of 2018.
The reminder covers several categories of pensioners whose compliance schedules fall in May.
READ: SSS online ACOP: Step-by-step guide for pensioners
SSS said the following pensioners need to comply with ACOP before May ends:
Retirement pensioners aged 80 years old and above residing in the Philippines;Total disability pensioners;Pensioners living abroad; andSurvivor pensioners and dependent children under guardianship whose deceased member had a May birth month.
The agency said pensioners may complete the process online through the Philippine Statistics Authority’s National ID eVerify System.
READ: No more lines: SSS launches face scan for pensioner verification
What ACOP does
The ACOP Program requires pensioners to report to SSS yearly to confirm their continued eligibility for pension benefits.
SSS uses the program to verify whether pensioners remain qualified to receive monthly pension releases under Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018.
READ: SSS verification without a smartphone: A guide for pensioners
The agency earlier resumed mandatory ACOP compliance for certain retirement pensioners after temporarily easing requirements during the pandemic years.
Starting March 2024, SSS required retirement pensioners aged 80 and above who reside in the Philippines to undergo annual confirmation.
The program also covers:
Retirement pensioners living abroad;Total disability pensioners;Death or survivor pensioners; andDependent children under guardianship.
However, SSS clarified that retirement pensioners in the Philippines who are below 80 years old remain exempt from ACOP unless the agency specifically notifies them otherwise.
The agency also reminded retirement pensioners who simultaneously receive survivor pensions to submit two separate ACOP Pensioner’s Reply Forms.
Suspension awaits non-compliant pensioners
SSS warned that failure to comply within the required schedule will automatically suspend pension releases.
Under existing rules, SSS suspends the monthly pension one month after the pensioner’s birth month or the birth month of the deceased member in the case of survivor pensioners.
If pensioners fail to comply for two years after suspension, SSS may permanently cancel their pension records.
Still, the agency said pensioners who eventually comply may recover their benefits.
SSS said it usually resumes pensions within two months after successful ACOP compliance. The agency also credits accrued pensions and recalled amounts from depository banks back to the pensioner’s account.
Online compliance available
To make compliance easier, SSS encouraged pensioners to use its online ACOP facility linked to the National ID eVerify System.
The agency said the digital option seeks to reduce travel, waiting time, and physical visits to SSS branches, particularly for elderly pensioners and Filipinos living overseas.
For more details about the ACOP Program and downloadable forms, pensioners may visit SSS Official Website
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