QUEZON CITY — The Social Security System (SSS) has disbursed ₱63.74 billion in death benefits in the first three quarters of 2026, up 10.4% from ₱57.74 billion in the same period last year, as more beneficiaries received higher monthly pensions following an early pension increase implemented in June.
SSS president and Chief Executive Officer Victor Alfonso A. Limlingan said the state pension fund paid an average of ₱7.08 billion in death benefits each month from January to September, providing timely support to families who lost their loved ones.
“The rise in death benefit disbursements shows that SSS is delivering on its mandate to protect Filipino workers and their families, especially during the most difficult moments of their lives,” Limlingan said. “By implementing the second tranche of the pension increase earlier, we were able to provide immediate relief to surviving spouses and other qualified beneficiaries.”
Limlingan said the largest quarterly increase occurred in the third quarter of 2026, when death benefit payouts rose by nearly 5% from the second quarter. Growth between the first and second quarters was below 1%.
He attributed the acceleration in the third quarter to the early implementation of the second tranche of its Pension Reform Program in June 2026, which increased the monthly pension of surviving spouses or death pensioners by 5%.
More beneficiaries receive support
Limlingan said the number of death benefit beneficiaries rose by 5.7% to 1.4 million in the first nine months of 2026, from 1.3 million in the same period last year. Surviving spouses or death pensioners accounted for about 89.8% of beneficiaries.
As of September 2026, the average monthly death pension was ₱4,568. The minimum monthly pension stood at ₱2,000, while the highest was ₱23,422.
The death benefit is a cash benefit paid either as a monthly pension or a one-time lump sum to the beneficiaries of a deceased SSS member.
A monthly pension is granted to the primary beneficiaries of a deceased member who paid at least 36 monthly contributions before the semester of death. Members with fewer than 36 contributions before that period leave their primary beneficiaries entitled to a one-time lump sum benefit.
In the absence of primary beneficiaries, secondary beneficiaries may receive the lump sum benefit.
Funeral benefit payouts increase
Limlingan said SSS funeral benefit disbursements also rose by 5% to ₱3.25 billion in the first nine months of 2026, from ₱3.09 billion in the same period of 2025, with an average of ₱360.98 million in funeral benefits released every month.
From January to September, the number of funeral benefit beneficiaries increased by 3.5% to 151,844 from 146,666 in the same period last year. On average, 16,872 beneficiaries received funeral benefits each month.
Limlingan said the higher disbursements reflected SSS’ continuing effort to ensure that assistance reaches families promptly.
“Funeral benefits may be smaller than other SSS benefits, but they provide meaningful and immediate assistance to families dealing with the loss of a loved one,” he said. “SSS will continue to strengthen the delivery of these benefits so that members and their families receive the protection they have earned.”
The funeral benefit is a cash grant intended to help cover funeral expenses upon the death of an SSS member, permanently totally disabled member, or retiree.
Claimants of deceased members with 36 or more monthly contributions may receive a variable funeral benefit ranging from ₱20,000 to ₱60,000, depending on the member’s number of paid contributions and average monthly salary credit.
Members who paid at least one but fewer than 36 monthly contributions up to the month of death are entitled to a fixed funeral benefit of ₱12,000.
The funeral benefit may cover embalming services, burial transfer services and permits, funeral services, cremation or interment services, purchase or rental of a coffin, purchase or rental of a niche, cemetery lot, memorial lot or columbarium, and memorial or funeral insurance plans.
Funeral expenses indicated in proof of payment may be reimbursed, but only up to the computed funeral benefit due.
The surviving legal spouse of a deceased member is given priority over other claimants. Applications for funeral benefits must be filed within 10 years from the month of death of the member or pensioner.
Limlingan said both death and funeral benefit claims may be filed online through the My.SSS account of the member-claimant. Non-member claimants may file their applications at any SSS branch office.
