SEDPI offers the Social Welfare Protection Program (SWePP), where members can avail microinsurance coverage for their families in the Philippines or themselves. SWePP is a consolidated microinsurance and social safety net program and provides security and protection to low-income SEDPI members.
As a hybrid form of insurance, it adopts formal, informal, and government social insurance programs. It partners with a formal insurance provider, has a damayan portion, and also partners with government agencies – Social Security System (SSS) and Home Development Mutual Fund’s Pag-IBIG or Pag-IBIG.
SEDPI serves to make government services more available to poorer communities. Low income households, which make less that PhP240,000 a year; microenterprises such as farmers and fisherfolks, and OFW family members are recommended to get SWePP.
SWePP provides (1) CLIMBS Life Insurance, (2) access to SSS and Pag-IBIG, and (3) Damayan for fire and calamity assistance. SEDPI is in talks with PhilHealth to include health insurance in the future.
SWePP benefits include up to PhP80,000 life and accident insurance from CLIMBS; and PhP5,000 for fire protection and PhP500 worth of relief goods from the damayan component. These benefits are offered for an annual membership fee of PhP720.
SEDPI is an accredited collection agent of SSS, meaning that payments can be remitted through SEDPI to be paid to the SSS. Becoming a member of the SSS and making one contribution entitles members to a PhP20,000 death benefit. The minimum contribution is PhP360.
For a one time payment or contribution, SSS provides lifetime benefit of funeral protection. With three contributions per year, members are eligible for sickness and maternity benefits.
If a member makes 36 payments before the age of 65, they are given lifetime coverage for disabilities as well as additional death benefits. If a member makes 36 payments, then up to the age of 60, they can also enjoy unemployment benefits.
Making 36 to 119 contributions will gain the benefit of a lump sum pension. Making at least 120 contributions will give the benefit of monthly pensions. Vince Rapisura, SEDPI Group President, recommends that members aim to make approximately 500 contributions to their SSS. More contributions equal higher pensions.
SEDPI’s is also an accredited collection agent of Pag-IBIG. When one becomes a member of Pag-IBIG, one contribution every six months provides a PhP6,000 death benefit.
Pag-IBIG is a complement to retirement funds of Filipinos because of its high dividends. As the national savings program of the government, members are eligible to receive their total accumulated value, which is equivalent to personal contributions, employer contributions, and your dividends. The returns are promising, and they compound.
Pag-IBIG also grants access to socialized housing loans at a 3% per annum interest rate, up to a maximum of PhP580,000. OFWs are charged market rate, but this amount typically hovers around 5% – 7% per annum. Up to PhP6 million can be loaned.
For its microfinance operations in Mindanao, SEDPI is planning socialized housing projects for its members in partnership with Pag-IBIG. It has already acquired 7.1 hectares of land and is in the process of acquiring 4 hectares more in the provinces of Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur. Construction and development are planned for 2021.