OFW
SSS accredits CARD Inc. as partner
agent, generates nearly P9-M in
collections
T
he Social Security System (SSS) has accredited the
Center for Agriculture and Rural Development Inc.
(CARD Inc.) as one of its collecting partner agents
(CPA) as part of its serious efforts to create new
channels for SSS payments and to promote active
SSS membership in the informal sector.
SSS Assistant Vice President for Cooperatives and Informal Sector
Department Ma. Nympha M. Ragel said that the organization’s
nationwide operations and rapid network expansion are among the
distinct advantages of CARD Inc. as CPA.
“CARD Inc. has over 900 branches nationwide where Luzon has
the largest number with 446, followed by Mindanao and Visayas
with 296 and 239 branches, respectively. We select organized
groups that are trustworthy and capable to handle SSS transactions
and have shown their dedication to assist the SSS in bringing
much-needed social security protection to informal sector workers,”
Ragel said.
As part of their memorandum of agreement (MOA), SSS and
CARD Inc. collaborated in conducting pre-implementation trainings
for both parties from May to September 2015. Over the five-month
period, more than 1,500 SSS and CARD Inc. employees attended
trainings in 19 CARD Inc. branches nationwide.
“The pre-implementation trainings aimed to familiarize all of
the concerned parties with the specific provisions of the MOA
and its Implementing Rules and Regulations, including the scope
of services, target clients and collection process. We want them
to know all the program aspects by heart to better fulfill their
obligations as new partner of SSS,” Ragel explained.
It only took two months after the final leg of the preimplementation trainings for CARD Inc. to start with its collection
and remittance of SSS contributions, besting the usual three-month
period needed by newly-accredited CPAs.
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“CARD Inc. recorded the highest monthly remittance during
the second half of the 2015 with P1.04 million, which is one of the
significant outcomes of the 19 pre-implementation trainings held
last year. So far, CARD Inc. has successfully collected a total of P8.82
million in over 2,200 transactions,” Ragel shared.
Based in San Pablo City, Laguna, CARD Inc. also earned SSS
accreditation as a servicing partner agent (SPA) in 2013. The
microfinance institution recorded over 14,000 SSS non-collection
transactions last year, which was higher by 43 percent from the
10,024 transactions posted in 2014.
Under the SSS Partner Agent Program, CPAs are authorized
to receive and collect SSS contributions, loan amortizations and
other miscellaneous payments from their members and clients.
Meanwhile, SPAs are allowed to receive and screen applications for
SSS registration and benefit claims.
“Accredited partner agents also receive P4 for every processed
transaction and P6 for each collected