HELPING A NEIGHBOR BECOME AN SSS PENSIONER

So you’re a member of the Social Security System already about to retire, or if not, have parents about to do so and because you have been regularly tuned to the radio station DZRH where Bro. Deo Macalma is a celebrated broadcaster hears Ms. Henny de la Cruz solves SSS problems over the radio and therefore thinks that getting your retirement benefits is a cinch should better think again. Of course it helps that there are brethren working in that mammoth organization to iron out the kinks but since the outfit is so big and is also struggling to have their records automated, giving their members their earned benefits as retirement age finally comes is still a wish many old age members can but desire. Take this epic case for example.

Pacheco Castrodes, our neighbor has reached the age of sixty last year and because he is sickly, decided to apply for early retirement. Knowing we have already helped another neighbor in the not-so-distant to past reacquire her retirement pension that was suspended previously, he also approached us that his application may be filed promptly and his pension received with dispatch. This the lion tamer eagerly welcomed and so on her next trip to Tagbilaran she went direct to the SSS office and there requested Gideon Rubillos for the membership data of the retiree-applicant to which the latter promptly complied with.

The membership data indeed showed that the member has already reached early retirement age but that the required 120 months minimum monthly contributions is still two months short having a value of P276,00. Upon reaching home she furnished Pacheco the data sheet to compare it with his record and noted that two installment payments were not posted. Advised by the lion tamer on what to do, the poor chap borrowed transportation money from his policeman-younger brother and there submitted to the SSS clerk the needed documents so that these may be sent to the main office for posting.

Three months passed and so the lion tamer called Gideon to follow it up but the missing two months were still not posted. To remedy the problem, Gideon suggested that the amount be paid instead to complete the required monthly contributions which the retiree-applicant reluctantly did as it meant not only borrowing transportation money again but also the P276 as well. After another trip to the SSS office at Tagbilaran he was advised to wait another month before finally submitting his claim papers since the bank form wherewith the payment was recorded still had to be sent to the main office for final posting..

Another two months lapsed and the lion tamer called Gideon again. He said that the required form may now be submitted to the delight both of the pensioner-applicant and the lion tamer. But another two months lapsed and nothing was heard from the SSS.




The lion tamer called again and was advised that Pacheco, the applicant go back to the SSS branch on March 7 but there still was a problem. Reluctantly borrowing transportation money again, he found out that a second tracer for a pending RR claim was again sent by the branch to the main office. What the “pending RR claim” was all about, the claimant could not explain to us.

Exasperated at the turn of events, the aging lion took the bull by the horns and emailed WB Gerard Gomzales at SSS Bacolod if he can help detailing to the latter his impressions on the issue. WB Gerard advised that the pertinent documents be xeroxed and sent to him which was done promptly the next day. Upon receipt WB Gerard said the problem was remnant of the previous difficulties on manual system and that these had to be tabulated manually at the main office. He assured the aging lion not to worry as he’ll be sending the documents to VW Freddie Ibay that have it manually tabulated to solve the problem.

But the tragedy that the aging lion suffered stood in the way. The aging cat totally forgot it until on May 14 when his eldest cub took him to Los Banos and there saw her daughter in law’s laptop with Internet connections and instantly remembered Pacheco’s case. He immediately emailed WB Gerard to facilitate processing as the poor man was ill such that if worse comes to worst his family may end up receiving death benefits instead of Pacheco getting his pension claim. WB Gerard replied it still is being subjected to “lice removal” (hinihinguto) and that the aging lion should not worry.

Then came June 6, the date of Laong Laan’s stated meeting. By luck the limping cat chanced upon VW Freddie Ibay and so reiterated to him Pacheco’s problem, to which the latter replied that he expects the task will be completed the next week and that there should no longer be a case for worry.

By mid June WB Gerard emailed saying that the problem was finally solved and that Pacheco be instructed to re-file his claim. To which he did and a full month later or in July his sister sent a text message saying a check for P27.000 representing eighteen months’ lump sum was received.

But that was not the end of the story. When the lion tamer and her pet finally went home to his den they could not see Pacheco in the vicinity. Silently the aging lion mused he may be like the many beneficiaries of their good deeds in Guindulman town who, after being helped would not even say a simple “thank you” for their charitable deeds.

But it was not so. A full three weeks later, Pacheco with drooping shoulders and still visibly sick, entered our gate and in an apologetic but smiling face said he purposely shied away the past three weeks as he was advised by the doctor at Cebu City to avoid talking whenever he can because there is a cancerous substance that is lodged in his throat and thus required vocal therapy. Of the P27,000, he said P5,000 is still available after P10,000 was spent for doctor’s fees and the remaining P12,000 spent on food, medicines, and paying of his younger brother on the advances that he made. He also added he’ll start receiving P1,500 as his monthly starting next month.

The aging lion could only smile and as an afterthought said it appears the “Grim Ripper” (Kamatayan) has decided to spare the souls of two sickly septuagenarians that are now ripe for the Great Beyond.

Bad grass and definitely not the Bermuda type.!!