QUEZON CITY – The Social Security System (SSS) honored nearly 4,000 pensioners at its annual Pensioners’ Day celebration on Sept. 11, 2026, held in 19 selected venues nationwide as part of the pension fund’s 69th anniversary.
SSS president and chief executive officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro said the event recognizes pensioners’ years of hard work and contributions to the Philippine economy.
“We institutionalized this activity as an expression of gratitude to them for their significant contribution to our society,” de Claro said, describing pensioners as pillars of nation-building.
The celebration carried the anniversary theme, “Bawat Isa Protektado, Bawat Bukas Sigurado”, which underscores the SSS’ commitment to protecting workers, members and pensioners against life’s uncertainties while helping secure their families’ future.
Pensioners urged to avail of Pension Loan Program
De Claro encouraged retiree and surviving spouse pensioners to avail of the Pension Loan Program (PLP) to help meet their immediate financial needs.
The SSS launched the PLP in September 2018 to provide retiree pensioners with access to low-interest loans without requiring ATM cards as collateral. In September 2025, the program was expanded to include surviving spouse pensioners, giving them access to safe and affordable credit.
“The SSS pension loan is a secured cash loan with a transparent interest rate of 10% per year, computed based on a diminishing principal balance,” de Claro said.
Qualified retiree pensioners may borrow an amount equivalent to three, six, nine, or 12 times their Aggregate Monthly Pension, subject to a maximum loan amount of ₱300,000. Available repayment terms are six, 12, and 24 months.
“For qualified surviving spouse pensioners, the loan amount is equivalent to 50% of their Aggregate Monthly Pension multiplied by three, six, nine, or 12 months, subject to a maximum of ₱150,000. Available loan terms are six and 12 months,” he added.
The Aggregate Monthly Pension consists of the basic monthly pension and the ₱1,000 additional benefit. A dependent’s pension is excluded from the computation.
He said the SSS ensures that pensioner-borrowers retain a net take-home pension of at least 40% of their Aggregate Monthly Pension once monthly loan amortizations begin.
Eligibility and application
Retiree pensioners applying for the loan must be registered on the SSS website with updated contact information and an enrolled disbursement account. They must be 85 years old or younger at the end of the loan term, have no deductions from their monthly pension, and have no existing advance pension under the SSS Calamity Loan Package.
They must also have been receiving an active monthly pension for at least one month and must not have been disqualified because of fraud committed against the SSS.
Surviving spouse pensioners must have an SS number and be registered on the SSS website with updated contact information and an enrolled disbursement account. Those who are not SSS members must secure an SS number as a surviving spouse pensioner before registering online.
They must be at least 18 years old when applying and no older than 85 at the end of the loan term. They must have no pension deductions, no existing advance pension under the SSS Calamity Loan Package, and must have been receiving an active monthly pension for at least one month.
Surviving spouse pensioners must also be the sole payee of the death benefit and must not have been disqualified because of fraud committed against the SSS.
De Claro said that PLP applications can be filed either over-the-counter through the E-Centers of any SSS branch/service office, through E-Partners, or online using the My.SSS account.
“Pension loan proceeds will be credited to the borrower’s existing pensioner disbursement account or to another account enrolled through the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module,” he added.
