SSS Reaches Out to Filipinos in Honolulu, Explores Opening an Office in Hawaii

Social Security System Senior Vice President Judy Frances A. See gives a briefing on SSS program coverage and services at the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu on 14 July 2018. (Honolulu PCG photo) 

HONOLULU 20 July 2018 — Officials of the Social Security System (SSS)—led by Senior Vice President Judy Frances A. See of SSS International Operations Group, and Foreign Representative Marites C. Marin of SSS Office San Francisco—visited Honolulu in Hawaii, and conducted a four-day onsite services and briefings from 13 to 16 July for overseas Filipinos in Hawaii.

SSS—the Philippines’ social insurance program for workers in the private, professional and informal sectors—provides benefits for overseas Filipinos such as retirement, disability, maternity, sickness, and death. To date, it has presence in 23 offices abroad.

Vice President See conducted briefings on coverage programs and services on 14 and 15 July 2018 at the Philippine Consulate General and Seafood City in Waipahu, Hawaii, respectively. In her briefings, she discussed how SSS membership work for overseas Filipinos, and highlighted improvements in SSS program operations and services.

Ms. Marin conducted on-site services, which include membership registration and reactivation, enrollment in the flexi-fund program, amendment in membership/pensioner information, applications for benefit claims and loans annual confirmation of pensioners, were offered at the Philippine Consulate General on July 13,14 and 16. These services were also offered to kababayans at Seafood City on July 15.

SSS is currently exploring the possibility of setting up an office in Hawaii, which would be its second U.S. office, in view of the large number of Filipino Americans residing in the state.

The latest U.S. Census estimates around 375,000 Hawaii residents who consider themselves as Filipinos or Americans of Filipino descent, making up a fourth of the total population of the state. END

For more information, visit www.honolulupcg.dfa.gov.ph/ www.philippineshonolulu.org or https://www.facebook.com/PHinHonolulu/

From left: Consul Joyleen E. Santos; Acting Head of Post Roberto T. Bernardo; SVP See; and Ms. Marin during the SSS officials courtesy call on 13 July 2018. (Honolulu PCG)