I don’t expect anything to be perfect. Not even the Philippine’s Social Security System. But I do expect them to be reliable.

I have been putting off making voluntary contributions but I have been planning to contribute as a voluntary member months ago. Now, I’m not sure if I still want to.

I went to the SSS website today. I knew that the website was sss.gov.ph. It was simple and easy to remember. Still I did not go directly to the site. I searched Yahoo! and found the same website.

http://www.sss.gov.ph/

So, I clicked on that search result…. Voila! This page appeared.

I would have appreciated a ‘Sorry. We are temporarily unavailable. Please try again after a few minutes. (or hours, or even days) That I would understand. But nooo…. Right on my browser is a page for Oracle Application Server. Perhaps I clicked the wrong link. I typed it on the address bar this time.

sss.gov.ph

The same friggin’ page. Okay, okay. Be calm. Maybe there’s another way to check my contributions. So I searched Yahoo! again. There you go! Apparently there is a TEXT SSS SMS-based information system where a member could check their total contributions, status of loan applications, etc. So I texted SSS using 2931 Globe access number (Smart’s is 288). After a few seconds, I received a reply that the service is temporarily not available. Hmmm… so maybe their system is down, if even the text inquiry service is affected. Unconvinced I decided to check the Philippine government’s website… maybe the SSS changed their link, or something.

www.gov.ph

Eventually, I found the link for SSS Member Inquiry System. This directs me to a registration page. I entered the data needed but I got to another problem. I was being asked for the status of my membership. If I select ‘Voluntary’, there’s a box where I need to enter the receipt number of my last payment. If I select ‘Employed’, there’s a box where I need to enter the SS. number of my employer. Another dead-end.

Oh well. I might just go and visit one of their branches. So much for the Philippine’s online system. Maybe I do need to go to their office and get the information I need. Still… that Oracle Application Server page bothers me. Is there not enough budget to replace that Oracle page with something more appropriate? I don’t believe that they think that not many Filipinos use the SSS online inquiry system because I was able to use it 5 years ago, without these hitches. So what’s their deal now?