<div class="image-550">
<img src="https://cdn.kahimyang.com/resources-17/sss2.webp" loading="lazy" alt=" Social Security Act of 1954 or the SSS Law was finally implemented" />
 </div>

Earlier, President <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1370/today-in-philippine-history-january-1-1892-manuel-roxas-was-born-in-capiz" class="news_link">Manuel Roxas</a>, to give relief to the people who were facing difficulties in the post-war period, called on the legislators to create a social security program in his State of the Nation Address in January 1948 but he died without passing the bill. On July 7, 1948, President <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/753/today-in-philippine-history-november-16-1890-elpidio-quirino-the-sixth-president-of-the-philippines-was-born-in-the-town-of-vigan-ilocos-sur" class="news_link">Elpidio Quirino</a> succeeded Roxas and created the social security study commission through Executive Order No. 150. The commission drafted the Social Security Act that was submitted to Congress that eventually became Social Security Act of 1954 or the SSS Law.


In 1954, Representative <a href="https://kahimyang.com/articles/3215/today-in-filipino-history-july-29-1908-floro-singson-crisologo-was-born-in-vigan-ilocos-sur" class="news_link">Floro Crisologo</a>, Senators Cipriano Primicias and <a href="https://kahimyang.com/articles/3009/today-in-philippine-history-january-1-1893-manuel-briones-was-born-in-mandaue-cebu" class="news_link">Manuel Briones</a> introduced bills to the Congress that were eventually enacted as Republic Act 1161 or the Social Security Act of 1954 during the term of Magsaysay. The law was also called the Social Security Law (SSS Law).


On September 7, 1979, Presidential Decree No. 1636 by President <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/595/today-in-philippine-history-september-11-1917-ferdinand-e-marcos-was-born-in-sarrat-ilocos-norte" class="news_link">Ferdinand Marcos</a>, amended the Republic Act No. 1161 and extended compulsory coverage to people who are identified as self-employed. The new rules which took effect on January 1, 1980. New rules allowed farmers and fisherfolks to be included in the coverage in 1992 and the year after, household helpers earning at least ₱1,000 monthly. The SSS, in 1995, covered laborers in informal sector earning the same wage monthly.

On May 1, 1997, President <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1022/today-in-philippine-history-on-march-18-1928-fidel-ramos-was-born-in-lingayen-pangasinan" class="news_link">Fidel V. Ramos</a> signed Republic Act No. 8282, also known as Social Security Act of 1997. The law amended the SSS and provided better benefit packages, expansion of coverage, flexibility in investments, stiffer penalties for violators of the law, condonation of penalties of delinquent employers, and the establishment of a voluntary provident fund for members.


SSS transferred the administration of its Medicare program, which gave benefits for the healthcare purposes of members, to the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) when Republic Act No. 7875 or the National Health Insurance Act of 1995 was enacted. In 2017, about 2.2 million people receiving pension from the SSS saw their take-home benefits increased by ₱1,000 with the approval of President <a href="https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/2790/today-in-philippine-history-march-28-1945-rodrigo-roa-duterte-16th-president-of-the-philippines-was-born-in-maasin-leyte" class="news_link">Rodrigo Duterte</a>.


Starting with a fund of ₱500,000 from the government, SSS' total assets grew to ₱474.7 billions and served 34.2 million members in 2016. In 2018, the Republic Act No. 11199 or the Social Security Act of 2018 was passed, providing mandatory inclusion of Filipinos working domestically and internationally.


Source:

<ol class="article-sources">
<li>
59 years of faithful service to the nation, Susie BuganteAugust 30, 2016, https://businessmirror.com.ph/
</li>
<li>
Presidential Decree No. 1636, s. 1979, https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/
</li>
<li>
Wikpedia
</li>
</ol>

September 1, 1957: the SSS Law was implemented under the term of President Garcia