SSS Member Loans for OFW

• One-Month Salary Loan 

- Available to a member who has 36 monthly contributions posted prior to the month of filing of application, with the amount equivalent to the average of the member’s latest twelve (12) monthly salary credits (MSC) posted

• Two-Month Salary Loan 

- Available to a member who has 72 monthly contributions posted prior to the month of filing of application, with the amount equivalent to twice the average of the member’s latest 12 MSC posted but not to exceed P24,000

SSS salary loans shall be payable within two (2) years in 24 equal monthly installments. The loan shall be charged a nominal interest of 10% per annum. First year’s interest shall be deducted in advance from loan proceeds, with the 2nd year’s interest to be included in the monthly amortization.

OWWA-NLDC Livelihood Development

• National Livelihood Development Corporation or NLDC (subsidiary of Landbank of the Philippines) and OWWA jointly undertakes the Livelihood Development Program for OFWs (LDPO)

• OWWA provides the guarantee fund while the NLDC the credit facility to further improve access to entrepreneurial development opportunities and credit facilities to OFWs, their families, and organizations 

• The livelihood loan is a collateralized loan window where an individual may avail of up to a maximum of Php200,000.00 and group borrowers (at least 5 members) up to a maximum of Php1,000,000.00

OFW Health Care, Disability and Death Benefits (OWWA)

Death and Burial Assistance Benefit

• A member is covered with life insurance for the duration of his employment contract

• The coverage includes Php100,000.00 for death due to natural causes and Php200,000.00 for death due to accident.

• A burial assistance of Php20,000.00 shall be provided as a rider in case of the member’s death


Disability and Dismemberment Benefits

• A member shall be entitled to disability/ dismemberment benefits up to Php50,000.00


Total Disability Benefit

• In case of total permanent disability, a member shall be entitled to Php100,000.00


OFW Medical Rehabilitation Program 

• a special health package designed to extend limited but sustainable medical rehabilitation services for returning OFWs who are either suffering from any form of mental disorder/illness or physical disability


Health Program for OFWs (HEALTHPRO)

• subsidized medical and hospitalization services for OFWs in repsonse to the medical assistance needs of distressed OFWs

• local or abroad, over and above PhilHealth coverage


The OFW Hospital Wing/Ward 

• A priority program of OWWA for 2010

• An alternative scheme developed to make health care accessible exclusively for member-OFWs 

• The program aims to establish a hospital wing/ward in all 17 regions of the country

• Prospective partner hospitals are National Kidney Institute in the National Capital Region and Western Visayas Medical Center in Region VI 

Social Health Insurance for OFW

BENEFITS and SERVICES

1. Inpatient coverage
Subsidy for hospital room and board, drugs and medicines, laboratories, operating room and professional fees for confinements of not less than 24 hours to PhilHealth accredited hospital here in the Philippines and hospitals overseas. Members are entitled to 45 days benefits for room and board while another 45 days will be shared by the declared dependents. 

2. Outpatient coverage 

Covers day surgeries, dialysis and cancer treatment procedures such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 

3. Special Benefit Packages:

• Coverage for normal spontaneous deliveries
Covers uncomplicated normal spontaneous delivery or NSD of the first four births done either in PhilHealth accredited hospital or duly accredited lying-in clinics, birthing homes or midwife-managed clinics 

• Newborn Care Package
Covers eye prophylaxis, umbilical cord care, Vitamin K, thermal care, administration of BCG vaccine and resuscitation of the newborn, first dose of Hepatitis B immunization and Newborn screening tests for newborn. This can be availed in duly accredited hospitals and non-hospital facilities

• TB treatment through DOTS
Covers treatment of new cases of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in children and adults are covered through the Directly Observed Treatment Shortcourse or DOTS.

• Out-Patient Blood Transfusion
Covers blood transfusion procedures in cases that do not require confinements

• SARS and Avian Influenza (Influenza Pandemic or Bird Flu) Package
Covers up to P50,000 for members/dependents and P100,000 for private and public health workers

• Influenza A (H1N1) Package
Covers up to P75,000 for non-health worker-members. and maximum of P150,000 for health worker-members. This can be availed in hospitals designated by DOH as referral centers (national, sub-national and satellite) for Influenza A (H1N1) and other emerging and re-emerging diseases with the exception of confinements abroad. Admissions in private hospitals may be covered if confirmatory tests were coordinated with or confirmed by the RITM, DOH-CHD or other DOH certified laboratories 

• Malaria Package
Has a case payment of P600. It includes diagnostic malaria smears, other laboratory procedures, drugs and medicines, consultation and patient education and counseling.

• Cataract Package

Has a case payment of P16,000 - P8,000 for charges on room, drugs, meds, supplies including intraocular lens, x-ray, laboratory & ancillary procedures and use of OR complex and machines while the other P8,000 is paid to the doctor.

• Voluntary Surgical Contraception Procedures

Has a case payment of P4,000. The component of which is P3,000 for the facility services and P1,000 for physician to cover family planning counseling and client assessment, intraoperative service services including provision of anesthesia and postoperative consultation procedures including management of complications.

4. Enhanced Outpatient Benefit Package for OFWs and their Families A comprehensive out patient package of benefits that can be availed in selected DOH participating hospitals in the Philippines.

A. Consultation

B. Diagnostic services

• Complete blood count (CBC) 

• Routine urinalysis 

• Fecalysis 

• Fasting blood sugar 

• Blood typing 

• Hemoglobin/Hematocrit 

• Electrocardiogram (ECG) 

• Anti-streptolysin O (ASO-Titer) 

• Hepatitis B Screening Test 

• Treponema pallidum hemaglutination assay (TPHA) 

• Potassium hydroxide (KOH) 

• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) 

• Pregnancy test 

• X-ray (Skull, Chest, Lower and Upper Extremities) 

• Sputum Microscopy 

• Pap Smear 

C. Visual acuity examination

D. Psychological evaluation and debriefing

E. Promotive/preventive health services:

• Visual acetic acid screening for cervical cancer 

• Periodic digital rectal examination 

• Periodic clinical breast examination (CBE) 

• Counseling for cessation on smoking 

• Lifestyle modification (regular blood pressure measurement and nutritional or dietary counseling) 

• Counseling for reproductive health particularly breastfeeding 

• Nutritional or dietary counseling 

F. Auditory evaluation

G. Treatment of the following diseases based on PhilHealth-adopted clinical practice guidelines:

• Urinary tract infection (UTI) 

• Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) 

• Acute gastroenteritis (AGE)

SSS Social Insurance for OFW

• Sickness benefit 

- Daily cash allowance granted to a member who is unable to work due to sickness or injury, confined for more than three (3) days, and has paid at least three (3) monthly contributions in the last twelve (12) months prior to the semester of contingency, subject to notification conditions

• Maternity benefit

- Daily cash allowance granted to a female member who is unable to work due to childbirth or miscarriage, and has paid at least three (3) monthly contributions in the last twelve (12) months prior to the semester of childbirth or miscarriage (for 60 days or 78 days in case of caesarian delivery), subject to notification conditions 

• Disability benefit

- Monthly pension granted to a member who becomes permanently disabled, either partially or totally, and has made at least 36 monthly contributions prior to the semester of disability (or lump-sum benefit, if not qualified for pension) 

• Retirement benefit

- Monthly pension granted to a member who is 60 years old and separated from employment or has ceased to be self-employed (optional/voluntary retirement), or is 65 years old (compulsory retirement), and has paid at least 120 monthly contributions prior to the semester of retirement (or lump-sum benefit, if not qualified for pension)

• Death benefit

- Monthly pension granted to the primary beneficiaries (or lump-sum benefit for secondary beneficiaries) of a deceased member who has paid at least 36 monthly contributions prior to the semester of death (or lump-sum benefit, if not qualified for pension)

• Funeral benefit

- Cash grant equivalent to P20,000 paid, in cash or in kind, to the person who pays the cost of funeral expenses upon the death of a member or pensioner

SSS Flexi Fund Program For OFWs

Flexi Fund by Definition of the SSS

According to a press release by the Social Security Service (SSS), the FLEXI FUND is - "A Voluntary Provident Fund for Overseas Filipino Workers. The program is a voluntary provident fund that provides a mechanism for the OFW to save more for the future, complementing the benefits under the regular SSS programs. This means the program is open only to OFWs abroad and is added on top of existing SSS-OFW membership benefits. "

This program is TAX-FREE and an OFW member is open to avail of the fund with a minimum of 3 years after the commencement date. Members also have the option to leave the fund be until they want to use it upon retiring. So this leaves them 2 options which I have mentioned above.

The flexi fund is actually a part of the OFW's income while working abroad under some mechanism provided by overseas employment. Remember that this is totally tax-free which means that should the OFW decide to take it from the SSS, they should receive the said fund in full amount with no tax at all.

The flexi fund is actually where the monthly pension of an OFW comes from when they retire. Now, since most of the OFWs out there don't know anything about this fund, I felt the deserve to because after all, this is their money and no one deserves to use them but the OFWs themselves.

According to the official website of the Philippine government, "Because it is a provident fund, all amounts accumulated plus interest shall accrue solely to the SSS-OFW member." Application to the flexi fund program of the SSS is open to all OFWs in the respective SSS branches abroad or they may also e-mail application toInternational Affairs and Branch Expansion (IABE) office for those OFWs who can't find any SSS office in the country they work.

Families of OFWs benefit from SM Global Pinoy program

As part of its continuing advocacy to provide modern ways for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to connect with their loved ones, the SM Global Pinoy Program, in partnership with Informatics, recently held a computer literacy seminar for SM Global Pinoy members.
The event taught the members several ways to communicate with their OFW families via social networking sites and educated them with OFW-oriented sites.
Invited elementary and high school students were also instructed by Informatics the basics of computer parts, its proper usage, and the different means on how they can connect with their OFW parents.
The SM Global Pinoy Program helps OFW families keep good communication with their loved ones abroad. Aside from providing them with Internet facilities at the Global Pinoy Center, it will continue its efforts in creating more beneficial programs for OFWs and their families.
SM Global Pinoy is inviting its members to attend a franchise seminar in November. For inquiries, members may call (02) 862-7043 or e-mail at info@smglobalpinoy.com.