By Chino S. Leyco

More than 34,000 members of the state-run Social Security System (SSS) may now withdraw through automated teller machines (ATM) their social security benefits and loans using their Unified Multi-purpose Identification (UMID) Cards.

Emmanuel F. Dooc, SSS president and chief executive said the rollout of the program will make disbursements easier for member benefits such as disability, retirement, self-employed and voluntary sickness and maternity claims.

“Doing direct transfer of funds for loans and benefit proceeds to the UMID Card ATM accounts is safer and faster. It will eliminate the cost of printing and mailing of checks, as well as delay in the delivery of service due to postage time and lost checks,” Dooc said in a statement.

“As soon as a loan is approved by SSS, it will only take at least 24 hours for our members to withdraw it from their bank accounts,” he added.

Several banks were invited to the UMID-ATM program since November 2013. To date, SSS has signed agreements to implement the program with four banks.

These lenders are UnionBank of the Philippines (UBP), one of the accredited banks, was the first to complete the program and started deploying kiosks in three SSS branch offices last year.

At present, UBP kiosks where UMID cards can be activated are in seven SSS branches in Baguio, Diliman, Manila, Buendia, Cebu, Pioneer and Davao. Additional UBP kiosks will be available in nine other SSS branches by yearend.

“SSS members with UMID cards should activate their cards through these UBP kiosks in our selected branches,” Dooc said. The UMID card is the only required identification for ATM activation.

To date, there are about 34,000 UBP co-branded UMID cards or UMID cards with ATM functionality.