The Social Security System (SSS) said Thursday all complaints lodged against the agency with the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) between January and August 2025 have been addressed.
The statement comes after the SSS was cited in recent news reports as one of the most complained-about government agencies based on ARTA’s data presented to the Senate.
SSS president and chief executive Robert Joseph Montes De Claro said the agency is coordinating with ARTA to validate the reported data of 244 complaints.
“From our own monitoring of ARTA referrals, all complaints received during the period covered were addressed and resolved within ARTA standards as our resolution rate is at 99.3 percent,” De Claro said.
De Clarso said that for the same period, the SSS tracked about 474,000 emails, which it worked to resolve within ARTA standards.
The majority of complaints relate to service delivery, followed by loan programs and then contributions matters.
Service delivery issues mainly involved queuing at branches and repeat visits for benefit claims. Complaints regarding loan programs—including the recently enhanced salary and calamity loans—focused on difficulties with calamity loan applications and challenges in meeting eligibility requirements.
Contributions complaints were primarily about non-remittance by employers and long wait times for manual verification.
The SSS created a Committee on Anti Red Tape (CART) in June 2021 to effectively receive complaints and feedback via hotlines, email, postal mail and referrals from government entities including ARTA.
“We value transparency and accountability in all our operations,” said De Claro.
“While we recognize the importance of these reports, we want to assure our members that every concern raised through our channels is being acted upon until resolved. Our partnership with ARTA reflects our commitment to improving processes and delivering efficient services,” he said.
The agency also noted its ongoing reforms and digital innovations aimed at minimizing bureaucratic delays and enhancing customer experience.
