CAGRARAY ISLAND, Albay----THE Republic of the Philippines and the Kingdom of Sweden have defined the administrative arrangements in relation to an agreement that will soon ensure the maintenance of social security rights for nationals of both countries.

Judy Frances A. See, Senior Vice President and Head of the International Operations Division of the Philippine Social Security System (SSS) and Malin Skäringer, Senior Advisor of the Social Insurance Division of the Swedish Ministry of Health and Social Affairs, signed the Minutes of the Meeting of the liaison bodies where the scope of Administrative Arrangements (AA) relating to the Social Security Agreement (SSA) between the Philippines and Sweden are articulated.

In the meeting, both parties agreed on some amendments to the first draft of the SSA, which was initialled in November last year. They agreed to expand the legislative scope of the Agreement to include the laws concerning work-related benefits.

Liaison forms to be used by both parties for the implementation of the SSA were also discussed in detail.

Where social health insurance coverage of detached Swedish nationals in the Philippines is concerned, the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 10606 or the National Health Insurance Act of 2013 states that foreign nationals working and/or living in the Philippines are entitled to PhilHealth benefits, provided they fulfil availment conditions such as qualifying contributions, confinement in accredited facilities and illness being treated or handled by an accredited health care provider.

Skäringer said that the collaboration with the Philippine government on social protection is very important “as we have many, many Filipinos working or living in Sweden, contributing to our welfare and to making Sweden one country in the north a little more happy.” She added that “we have many Filipino seafarers on our ships” and that they have noted “a growing movement (of nationals) in both countries, with even Swedes coming to the Philippines.” Recent data from the Philippine Retirement Authority showed that at least 59 Swedes are holders of the Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV), a non-immigrant, multiple-entry visa which enables them to retire in the Philippines.

On the other hand, See discussed the salient features and internationally-accepted principles of the SSA using the acronym “MEET”. The SSA provides for mutual administrative assistance in various aspects such as filing of claim for a benefit. By virtue of the SSA, if a Filipino worker who is covered by Swedish legislation decides to come home and he wants to claim for a Swedish benefit, then he need not go back to Sweden to lodge a claim “because under the agreement, each party designates a liaison agency that serves as the extension of the social security agency of the other country.”

See also cited equality of treatment which states that “whatever is accorded to a national of one party in terms of social security, is also accorded to the national of the other party.” Thus, a covered Filipino, including his dependents and survivors, shall be eligible for social security benefits under the same conditions as Swedish nationals in Sweden.

A third element in the agreement is export of benefits.“Normally, when you leave a country, the benefit that accrues to you will not be exportable” but because the SSA provides for exportability of benefits, “then even if you decide to return to your home country, you will be able to receive your benefits from the other country.”

Considered the most important element in the SSA is the totalization of insurance periods to enable a national of either country to become eligible to social security benefits of the other country. Filipinos who have accumulated years of contributions to the SSS in the Philippines and who have a certain number of years of coverage in Sweden, may be eligible for social security benefits by totalizing the creditable periods earned from both countries, but “that country will only pay pro rata, based on a national’s actual periods in that country,” said See. Without the SSA, a worker may not accumulate enough insurance periods to qualify for pension.

Bilateral social security agreements promote the welfare of overseas Filipinos of the “permanent” type. “Many of our (fellow) Filipinos end up to be nationals or permanent residents in another country. But because they have divided their working careers in the Philippines and that other country, they sometimes lose their benefit rights in the process. What we want to do is to reduce or even eliminate nationality- and territory-based restrictions to their access to social security,” stressed See.

Skäringer is optimistic that the SSA “will be signed in Stockholm, Sweden this autumn or in October or as soon as possible” and that “this (agreement) can enter into force the second half of next year.” Asked what challenges she foresees in the implementation of the SSA, Skäringer said, “none at all since we have already established very good contacts between our agencies” and that the liaison forms are ready. Sweden has existing SSAs with India and South Korea, while the Philippines has SSAs with countries like Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Canada and the independent province of Quebec. SSAs with Denmark and Portugal will also enter into force soon.

Initiatives that led to crafting of the SSA and to the signing of the AA date back to the early 1990s and talks between the Philippines and Sweden were revived last year after the signing of the SSA with Denmark.

Participants from the Philippines also included Atty. Voltaire Agas, SVP-Legal Services Division; Atty. Roberto Bautista, Department Manager, Atty. Perlita Dasing, Attorney II, and Michelle Lleses, Jr. Specialist of the International Affairs Department of the SSS; Atty. Dionisio Ebdane Jr., SVP-Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao Operations and Joel Defeo, Legazpi Branch Manager of the Government Service Insurance System; Stella Banawis, Executive Director of the Employees Compensation Commission; Adrian Bernie Candolada, Executive Director of the Office of European Affairs of the Department of Foreign Affairs; Mary Sol dela Cruz, Chief, Labor and Employment Officer, International Labor Affairs Bureau of the Department of Labor and Employment; Atty. Hernando Reyes, Director II, Legal Research-Docket and Enforcement Branch of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration; and Atty. Ma. Emily Roque, Senior Manager, Prosecution Department and the author representing the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation.

Aside from Skäringer, the Swedish delegation also had Elisabeth Lane, Senior Adviser, Legal Secretariat from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs; Pia Blank Thörnroos, Legal Expert of the Swedish National Tax Agency; and Erica Jonasson, Legal Expert from the Swedish National Insurance Agency. (END) (By Maria Sophia B. Varlez)