Fraction of SSB’s Surplus Is Spent on Social Development 

Doctor Almendarez shared that the S.S.B. extends its support even to patients who aren’t contributors. This assistance comes from a social development account. Almendarez noted that the help provided for this cause amounts to a minute percentage of the S.S.B.’s surplus.

 

Dr. Leroy Almendarez, C.E.O, Social Security Board

“Whatever surplus remains, point one five percent, that is less than a percent, is actually applied to a social development account and that is administered. And I can tell you, because of the increased prevalence of cancer, non-communicable diseases, a lot of people have been able to be assisted. But what we will not do, for example, is to say, well, we’re assisting this person who is sick. I mean, that’s not what you do because not everybody want that information to be out there. But that’s another thing that we do as well.  And that, and that just goes through a process. That one is not even tied to whether you’re making a contribution. This is because, okay, I have cancer, but I really need assistance with, you know, with a CT scan. I need to do a surgery, an assessment is made because we don’t help you 100 percent but that’s another thing.  In terms of usage of the monies, these are, these are things that we look at very carefully. I mean, really, these are, in terms of wasting of funds, et cetera, just giving away money. No, even, even when we discuss that, those donations toward people who have cancer.  I remember, I think one of the questions is, you’re just giving away. No, that’s not giving away people’s money. There’s something called corporate social responsibility.”