SSB CEO Addresses Sustainability, Transparency in Live Public Discussion

Social Security Board CEO Jerome Palma is seeking to clear the air on several issues affecting the national social protection system following his appearance on a live program hosted by NTUCB President Ella Waight.  During the wide-ranging discussion, Palma addressed public concerns about the SSB’s operations, its long-term sustainability, and the suite of benefits available to contributors. The session, according to officials, was aimed at improving transparency and public understanding of how the Board functions.  One of the major highlights was the recently launched SSB digital portal, which Palma says represents a significant modernization step for the institution, giving workers easier access to their contribution histories.

Jerome Palma, CEO, Social Security Board: “It’s the version one, it’s the first version there. One of the main features of the app is an ability to view your contribution history. Just imagine now as contributors to the fund, having that ability to look on the app and to scroll through and actually see all your contributions over that time. It is important from the perspective of one ensuring that your contributions are being paid in. Employees, your contribution is deducted from your wages. Your employers have a responsibility to ensure that they’re making that contributions on your behalf. Right, so from your perspective as an employee, you want to make sure that that is being done. It is deducted from your wages, you want to make sure it’s being paid in. Besides checking your contribution history, it also gives you information as to how to claim, what information you need, what makes you eligible for certain benefits, the number of contributions, the amount, the period for which you should be contributing. So it’s important that people know these things. For us now, putting all of that information on the app, give people access to information. That is very critical for us. We’ve been able to do that, and I must say that’s one of our biggest accomplishments then over the last few months to be able to launch that. So the credibility is there, the transparency you can go in there and see, you know. We make sure that we are accountable, so if there’s any issues please come back let us know. We are dealing with 44 years of history, 44 years of data and information.”