Unionbank and the Social Security System (SSS) teamed up to make receiving pensions, claiming benefits, and even paying contributions easier. Here’s how.

Established by virtue of Republic Act No. 1161 in 1954, the Social Security System (SSS) is a state-run, social insurance program for workers in private, professional and informal sector. It aims to help working Filipinos grow their hard-earned money and prepare for their future, protect them from loss of income, and help alleviate financial burdens due to any unforeseen circumstances.

“Our pensioners, which stood at three million in 2021, grew to 3.18 million by November 2022, while our retirement, disability, and death benefit monthly disbursements, which averaged at P16.6 billion in 2021, increased to P19.53 billion for January to November this year,” SSS President and CEO Michael G. Regino stated in a press release.

Givne the increasing number of beneficiaries and contributions, the institution is trying to make its services more accessible. Thus, the SSS debuted a new project—upgrading the Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) into an ATM pay card. And for that to happen, it partnered with a reputable and PDIC-insured bank: Unionbank.

“The UMID ATM Pay Card is an ID and debit all-in-one card with the benefits of receiving SSS loan and claim proceeds and refunds directly and securely,” wrote the SSS in their Facebook post. Furthermore, the institution added that this allows SSS members to access their money and experience cashless transactions through retail, ATM, or online bank transfer.

How to Upgrade Your UMID Into an SSS ATM Pay Card

Starting January 2023, members who have old and pending UMID can now request a card upgrade for free. Simply update first the contact information through My.SSS portal or in your preferred SSS physical branch. There are two easy ways to upgrade the UMID to a savings account:

Upgrading Through SSS

For those who still need to get a UnionBank account, go first to My.SSS portal. Login to own account, then access the “Services” tab. Next, give consent to share information with UnionBank. Go to the bank’s website or download the UnionBank mobile app. Finally, accomplish the online form on the UnionBank website or mobile app.

Upgrading Through Mobile Bank

Once the UnionBank mobile app is downloaded, open an account, then select government ID. Among the choices, select SSS UMID Pay Card Account. After agreeing to the terms and conditions, you can accomplish the form to open a savings account. 

UnionBank states that SSS members living in the Metro Manila area can receive their new SSS UMID Pay Card within 15 banking days. Otherwise, it will require 20 banking days. Despite this, SSS members can already use the savings account while waiting for the physical pay card.

The Power of the UMID Pay Card

With these upgrades, the SSS UMID is not just a membership identification anymore. In fact, sending money, depositing local checks, paying bills, and even buying prepaid load has become so much more convenient! Aside from these benefits, SSS members can enjoy the accessibility of their funds 24/7 and in 20 million Visa teller machines worldwide through their new SSS UMID Pay Cards. 

Moreover, SSS members can learn more about financial literacy. In this new savings account, they can also set their own financial goals, which can help them prepare for their future. 

Finally Going Digital

Government services generally have a reputation for being be slow and inaccessible, as it has been behind in innovation and digitalization. In fact, the private sector has been utilizing systems that can make its services efficient, yet the government—the largest governing entity in the country—may need to catch up. Thankfully, more and more agencies have become more open to these advancements.

Through this initiative of SSS—wherein they merged the UMID and savings account—handling their finances has now become more easy and convenient. And yes, they can finally have access to their hard-earned money anytime and anywhere.

Hopefully, this advancement will pave the way for more government initiatives—geared towards leveraging technology to improve its services.