SSS opens newly relocated branch office in Iloilo


by Eloisa Samonte-Silverio
Social Security System (SSS) Officer-in-Charge and Executive Vice President for Branch Operations Sector Voltaire P. Agas formally opened the SSS Iloilo-Central Branch in its new location at CityMall Pavia during an inauguration ceremony on October 24.
Social Security System (SSS) Officer-in-Charge Voltaire P. Agas (6th from the left), Social Security Commissioner Eva B. Arcos (5th from the left), and Vice Mayor Edsel G. Gerochi of Pavia, Iloilo (4th from the left) lead the inauguration of the new SSS Iloilo Central Branch now located in CityMall Pavia on October 24. Also present during the event are (from left to right) SSS Iloilo Central Branch Head III Eva J. Cura, CityMall Pavia Supervisor Norlito S. Cuales Jr., SSS Vice President for Visayas West 2 Division Angelo O. Blancaver, SSS Senior Vice President for Visayas Operations Group Helen C. Solito, SSS Senior Vice President for National Capital Region Operations Group Maria Rita S. Aguja, SSS Vice President for Visayas Central 1 Division Alberto L. Montalbo, and SSS Iloilo Central Acting Branch Head Elisa M. Llavan.
Agas said that the SSS Iloilo-Central is now situated in a more accessible location, allowing the branch office to provide better service to over 7,700 employers and nearly 369,000 members from 1,260 barangays in Pavia, Iloilo and nearby municipalities.
Agas added that the newly transferred SSS office occupies a floor area of 1,237.07 square meters which is bigger than its office space in the previous location. It is estimated that the new office can facilitate an average of 750 daily transactions from Mondays to Fridays, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
“Several SSS branch offices face the challenge of limited office size, resulting to long queues and overcrowding in their offices. Hence, I am pleased we are able to relocate another SSS branch office to a better location with a bigger office space, allowing us to resolve this issue one branch office at a time,” Agas said.
He thanked the CityMall Management for providing SSS Iloilo-Central with a rent-free office space for the next five years. He added that SSS is also grateful to CityMall Commercial Centers, Inc. and its co-founder Edgar “Injap” Sia for shouldering the renovation costs, allowing the SSS to save P77.56 million in rent and renovation expenses.
He also commended the branch office’s excellent physical layout and spacious area. “It is a step towards establishing more expansive SSS offices that are advantageous and beneficial to transacting members and their beneficiaries because our branch offices can now offer comfort and accessibility since they are located in shopping malls,” Agas concluded.
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