QUEZON CIT—A global media hub based in the United States has picked the Social Security System (SSS) as recipients of its 2011 Honors Laureate distinction for “visionary applications of information technology”.

SSS was chosen because of its Text-SSS that gives members access to their contribution and loan records using their mobile phones.

Computerworld, which provides information technology news and information to over 3.5 million online members a month, will present the award to SSS president and chief executive officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr. in Washington, D.C. on June 20, SSS officer-in-charge Edgar Solilapsi said.

“The Computerworld recognition is a testament to the success of Text-SSS in bringing social security services closer to workers in the Philippines, which is now known as the ‘Text Capital of the World,’” Solilapsi said.

Text-SSS was launched in February 2010 to allow members to check their contributions, loan application status and loan balance. An estimated 130,000 members have registered with Text-SSS as of May 2011.

The pension fund plans to expand Text-SSS services to include inquiries on benefit eligibility and claim status, location of SSS servicing branches and documentary requirements for benefit applications. Loan and benefit applicants would also receive notices through text instead of letters through the mails.

“Access to information is important to our members. We want to make it easy for them to verify if their employers remit their monthly contributions, or if they are qualified to avail of SSS benefits and loans,” Solilapsi added.

The SSS is an awardee under the Human Services category of the 2011 Computerworld Honors Program. The awards, which is on its 23rdyear, is governed by the Computerworld Information Technology Awards Foundation based in Massachusetts, USA.

To use Text-SSS, members must text their social security number, date of birth (DOB) and name in the following format: “SSS REG ” to 2600 to register and get their PIN code, which will be used for text-based transactions.