In a letter sent to our office by an immigrant residing in California, she expressed her disgust over her inability to obtain her retirement benefits from the Social Security System. Her letter reads:
I have been a registered-contributing member of the SSS since July 1966. In January 1990, I retired early from my job at the US facility in Subic Bay to migrate to the US. Now that I’m old, I asked my son to apply for my retirement benefits but the SSS branch in Olongapo City is giving us a hard time. They even said that my name is no longer in their system.
I’m only claiming what is duly mine. Any amount will be very helpful for my family and relatives in the Philippines. And it is my plan to spend my remaining years in our homeland. What should I do?
The same grievance was also expressed by the daughter of a long time US immigrant in the US. She said that her mother who resides in Vallejo California was claiming her retirement benefit from GSIS but was having a difficult time obtaining the same. Her 80-year-old mother went back to the Philippines to personally attend to her application for retirement. She was asked to go to Manila just to find out that her benefits were being paid to a “third party” unrelated to her. Mrs. “T” returned to the US frustrated. Further inquiries at the Philippine Consulate office revealed that Mrs. “T” was reported as a deceased claimant and so an unscrupulous individual was taking her survivor’s benefits.
More cases are being reported on how frustrating it is to claim for retirement benefits.
Immigrating Abroad
There are varying reasons why there is an increase in the number of Filipinos working abroad. Obviously, the number one reason is for “economic” opportunities. After a migrant is settled abroad, petitioning the family to follow them becomes the next priority. Immigrants petition not only for their spouse and children but also for their siblings and parents. Hence, there are many who migrate in the sunset of their lives after they have already rendered so many years of public or private service.
When the migrant retiree becomes eligible for retirement, claims for their benefits from SSS or GSIS should not be a struggle. Their desire is to be able to claim only what is “due” to them. This is in the same context as the Filipino World War II veterans who fought so hard during the war and are claiming their veteran’s benefits, which they have been deprived of for many years. But from the perspective of the veterans they are claiming from the US; while the SSS & GSIS retirees are given a hard time by their own homeland.
The system of processing retirement claims may have been streamlined in the past. There is a verification process for claimants through the Internet or through submission of certificates of appearance. But how do we address the difficulty encountered by immigrants who live abroad in obtaining their pensions? How does one explain that an immigrant is declared “deceased” when in fact she is alive? When will all these difficulties and fraudulent transactions be put to a stop and the government institution be more sensitive to the rights of their workers?
Emotionally Charged
Addressing the concerns of the immigrant senior citizens in the US is a big challenge especially when they express their emotional outrage on a matter that is ridiculous. When Mrs.”T”, the retired teacher, heard the news that she was declared as already “deceased”, she almost suffered a heart attack. She is still fuming at the “fraudulent” claim on benefits due her.
The letter sender claiming for her retirement benefits from Social Security System says that the amount she is claiming for will not even be for herself but for her relatives in the Philippines who are more in need. She also indicated that she is planning to return to the Philippines to finally retire. Hence, it is not usually whether the amount of benefit is significant or not. Immigrants in their senior years are also planning to return someday and want to remain vested in the homeland. Their receipt of a meager pension signifies more than the amount that is to be received.
Immigrants Deserve Better
Listening to P-Noy’s State of the Nation Address gave us all immigrants a sense of hope in the homeland. When he said among others that we can dream “again”, we took it to heart that this new leader is instilling new hope to all Filipinos including all of us who remain connected to the homeland despite our many years of absence.
The GSIS or the SSS were not among the institutions that were put on the spot during the P-Noy’s SONA. However, it is public knowledge that there is rampant corruption and red tape in these institutions as well. It becomes more challenging when it involves the benefit of seniors and immigrants abroad as these immigrants are part of the overseas Filipinos sending billions of dollars in remittances every month. They deserve better.
(Tancinco may be reached at law@tancinco.com or at 887 7177)
