SSS launches facial authentication for pensioner verification

MANILA — The Social Security System (SSS) has launched a facial authentication feature allowing pensioners to complete their Annual Confirmation of Pensioners (ACOP) requirement online without visiting a branch.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro said the system uses biometric liveness detection to verify a pensioner’s identity through a camera-enabled device, streamlining compliance and helping ensure uninterrupted pension payments.

“This makes compliance easier, faster, and more secure,” de Claro said in a statement Thursday, adding that the verification process typically takes less than a minute.

The digital verification is available to pensioners registered in the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), the national ID program managed by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Eligible users include retirement pensioners aged 80 and above living in the Philippines, retirement pensioners residing abroad, and survivorship pensioners.

SSS said pensioners do not need to log in to their My.SSS accounts.

Instead, they can visit the agency’s homepage and select a dedicated ACOP icon that guides them through a facial scan and biometric verification process linked to the PSA’s National ID eVerify platform.

The system confirms that a live person is present during verification, helping prevent identity fraud while automatically updating SSS records once authentication is completed, the agency said.

Pensioners who lack compatible devices may seek assistance at SSS branch E-Centers, while traditional options such as in-person verification or scheduled video appointments remain available.

The initiative forms part of the agency’s push to expand digital services for nearly four million pensioners in the Philippines and overseas, reducing travel and administrative burdens as living costs rise.

“No travel. No hassle. Just quick, secure verification from home,” de Claro said.