With over 31 million members and 257 offices here and abroad, the 5,201 employees of the Social Security System (SSS) are always on their toes assisting members, responding to their varied needs while constantly seeking ways to provide greater access and convenience to its members nationwide.
Amidst the toil of daily work life, SSS gives recognition to its employees who have shown outstanding, valued-added and results-based performance. They may come from the different spheres of the organization, but all of them share exemplary personal values, professional ethics, and excellent customer service that honed them to be all that they can be in the name of public service.
Transcending Oneself
This year’s Best Support Service Employee is Susette T. Estacio of La Union Branch. Though only a Senior Clerk, she single-handedly took charge of all functions at the Administrative Section while serving as clerk of the Accounts Management Section. She practically performed the functions of five employees.
Ms. Estacio’s drive for excellence was recognized in the 5S quality workplace standards that contributed to the attainment of La Union Branch as a 5S National Award in the Medium Branch Category. As the lone administrative staff, she prepared her unit for the requirements of ISO certification which significantly contributed to the branch’s milestone achievement of being ISO 9001: 2008 Certified.
Always innovative and creative, Ms. Estacio created an OJT Primer for student-trainees, detailing office decorum and discipline required of them, their duties and other instructions to achieve a meaningful OJT experience with the SSS. She shared this primer to other SSS offices and has since served as a practical guide in the orientation of OJTs. A school even adopted the sample and shared it with other agencies where they send out their students for training.
Unwavering Commitment founded on Humility and Excellence
Each day for Lilibeth C. Suralvo of the Media Affairs Department is like being engaged in a battle characterized by bombardment of questions, constant referral of complicated SSS cases, and a passion to win by closely monitoring resolution of SSS cases to avert negative publicity. This made her this year’s Best Customer Service Employee.
Since April 2012, Beth, as she is fondly called in SSS, has been patiently reporting at 4:00am twice a month for a live on-cam interview at UNTV’s morning show “Good Morning Kuya”. Last year, she granted 116 TV and radio phone interviews and in the process highlighting the SSS culture of service-responsiveness. With her broad network of media friends and partners, Beth has been instrumental in cultivating goodwill and creating allies to send out SSS messages to its members and stakeholders.
Immediately after her media stints, Beth attends to media referrals in the Department. In 2013 alone, she attended to more than 1,000 members, explaining to them status of their claims and the necessary procedures to resolve their concerns. Her passion for public service has not wavered for the past 33 years that she has been with SSS.
An eye for detail and a feel for harmony
As a supervisor in the Internal Audit Service, Mr. Froilan M. Misa is adept with almost every facet of the institution’s processes. He has made various recommendations to safeguard the assets of SSS; strengthen internal controls; and systematize and simplify procedures.
Among others, the audit work of Bong M, as he known in the SSS circle, has been lauded by the SSS Management such as the effected amendments to the Certificate of Loan Eligibility after discovering fraudulent processing of claims in several branches. He is an expert witness in fraudulent transactions; reviews the Quality Management System of the Registration and Coverage Process as an IQA Auditor; performs Procurement Management Review of projects costing P 5 million or more; and serves as a resource speaker in the training programs of SSS.
Bong M is well liked by his subordinates and peers stressing that the output of his unit would not have been possible without the cooperation and support of his team members. With 24 years of service in SSS, Bong M has kept people motivated making him the Best Supervisor for this year.
All these outstanding men and women came to the SSS, distinguished themselves with their exceptional work in public service, and conquered the hearts of colleagues as they emerged as models for emulation and sources of inspiration for all.
