THE Social Security System (SSS) announced on Thursday that its pensioners will be receiving their 13th month and December 2022 pensions as early as the first week of December 2022.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Regino said the pension fund is set to release around P29.74 billion covering 3.36 million pensioners.

“This year, we have also pushed for the early crediting of the 13th month and December 2022 pensions so that our pensioners can withdraw them ahead of the holiday rush,” Regino said.

On Thursday, December 1, the SSS will release the first batch of the said pensions covering pensioners with dates of contingency within the first to the 15th day of the month.

The second batch, on the other hand, is set to be released on December 4 this year, covering pensioners with dates of contingency within the 16th up to the last day of the month.

Since December 4, 2022, falls on a Sunday, pensioners who are set to receive their pensions on the said date can expect that these will be credited to their account starting on the last working day before it, which is December 2.

Meanwhile, the SSS requested its accredited non-PESONet participating banks to release the said pensions to their SSS-pensioner clients no later than December 4, 2022. It has also requested the Philippine Postal Corporation to expedite the delivery of the checks of its pensioners who are receiving their pensions in this manner.

“Since December 1988, we have been granting our pensioners the 13th month pension, which is equivalent to their respective monthly pensions. This additional financial assistance or Christmas gift is our way of thanking them for their support to the SSS during their working years,” Regino said.

Pensioners who are qualified to receive the 13th month pension are SS retirement pensioners, and SS and Employees’ Compensation (EC) survivors, and total disability pensioners, including partial disability pensioners with pension duration of not less than 12 months. (PR)