SSS eWheels, Palengke Caravan reach island communities in Siargao
By Susil D. Ragas
SURIGAO CITY, Surigao del Norte (PIA) — To bridge the geographical divide for remote communities, the Social Security System (SSS) deployed its signature eWheels and Palengke Caravan programs to Barangay 13, Poblacion, in the municipality of Dapa, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte.
The initiative marked a significant effort by the state pension fund to reach island-based workers and employers who face significant travel barriers. Siargao Island is located roughly 35 to 40 nautical miles off Surigao City, making a trip to a permanent branch a time-consuming and costly venture for residents.
“We are landing on your shores our services, which we hope to benefit you, our dear members,” said Mindanao North Division Vice President Benigno J. Dagani Jr., who personally travelled to the island to oversee the rollout.
“While you are focusing on your daily endeavours and business, like fishing and selling, we are in your midst to assist your needs with the SSS,” VP Dagani said.
He emphasized that the people dual-program approach was designed to target two distinct vulnerable groups: individual informal workers and local businesses.
“The eWheels Program served as a fully functional mobile SSS branch, eliminating the need for residents to take a ferry to the mainland, while the Palengke Caravan focused on immediate, face-to-face registration for market vendors, fisherfolk, and small-business owners right where they work,” he added.
Services offered during the caravan included digital onboarding, online My.SSS registration, password resetting, and disbursement account enrollment (DAE), account maintenance, member data change requests, and payment reference number (PRN) generation for contribution and loan payments. It also catered to requests such as benefits and loans; benefit claim applications, pension loan applications, and the annual confirmation of pensioners (ACOP) for retirees.
The one-day grassroots initiative yielded immediate, measurable results for the community of Dapa, securing social security coverage for vulnerable informal sector workers on the spot.
The SSS credited the smooth execution of the caravan to strong cooperation with local leaders, who helped mobilise residents and provided the space necessary to set up the mobile hubs.
“We extend our sincere gratitude to the officials of the local government unit of Barangay 13 Poblacion in Dapa, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, for helping make the SSS eWheels and Palengke Caravan a success,” Dagani concluded.
He emphasised that the partnership reflected the unwavering support of government agencies such as the SSS in bringing essential services closer to their constituents. “By taking services directly to the marketplace and shores of Siargao Island, the SSS ensured that geographic isolation no longer meant a lack of social security protection for the country’s workforce.”
On her part, Nanay Flora expressed her sentiments and said, “As a market vendor here in Siargao, every peso and every hour counts. The delivery of goods and daily operations can be incredibly challenging. The availability of the SSS eWheels program has been a great help, beneficial to business. It didn’t just simplify my daily transport and logistics; it brought essential social security support right to our doorstep, giving us the stability we need to grow. I am incredibly thankful to SSS for launching an initiative that directly understands and lifts local, hardworking micro-entrepreneurs like us.” (SDR, PIA Surigao del Norte with a report from SSS-Surigao City)