The Social Security System (SSS) Officer-in-charge Horacio Templo said that they asked the government to require the overseas Filipino workers to register for mandatory coverage as voluntary members of the Fund.

The SSS has asked the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) and the Philippine Overseas and Employment Administration to require the registration of OFWs before their departure.

 “We are in serious talks with DOLE and POEA for the mandatory registration of OFWs before their departure for abroad,” Templo said.

“We want our OFWs to be included in SSS’ mantle of social security protection,” he added.

Statistic says that the SSS has 515,762 OFW members working in various countries worldwide. And about 16,000 signed up in the SSS Flexi-fund program. The SSS Flexi-fund is a tax-exempt savings and pension plan which is on top of the regular social security program offered by the SSS.

In an unofficial estimate, there are about eight million Filipino members in over 190 countries around the world.

According to Templo, the SSS is working to forge bilateral social security agreements with more countries that employ a substantial number of Filipino workers in addition to its existing agreements with Austria, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Spain, France, Canada and Quebec, Switzerland, Belgium and South Korea.

“We are also studying the possibility of establishing more foreign branch offices to augment the existing 14 so we can cater to more OFW members,” Templo added.