Dili, March 15, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Ministry of Social Solidarity and Inclusion (MSSI) through the National Social Security Institute (INSS) together with Bank BNCTL held a press conference with the aim of informing the public, especially the Elderly and the Disabled or Social Pension Beneficiaries, Community Leaders for the 2025 payment.
MSSI Minister Verónica das Dorres said that the first phase payments in 2025 will start on March 17, 2025 and will be paid based on the Eastern region, starting from Lautem in the Mindddle of region will start with Covalina and in West regions will start with Ermera, and RAEOA and Dili will also start from that day.
“The first phase payment also includes retroactive payments to 6 municipalities, unable to make payments in the third quarter of 2024. Information on beneficiaries and the amount of payment is the same. The number and total beneficiaries in the 2025 social pension, beneficiaries aged 60-69 years will receive $ 60.00 per month with a total of 45,885 beneficiaries, beneficiaries aged 70-79 years will receive $ 80.00 per month with a total of 44,121 beneficiaries, beneficiaries aged 80 years and above will receive $ 100.00 per month with a total of 17,780 beneficiaries. The number of beneficiaries of the first phase of the 2025 social pension is 107,786 beneficiaries in the National region with a total fund of $ 32,780,541.00.” Said the Minister of MSSI
The Minister continued with data on beneficiaries who have general bank accounts in Timor Leste, such as BNCTL with 107,042 beneficiaries, BNU with 387 beneficiaries, BRI with 276 beneficiaries and Mandiri with 81 beneficiaries.
“Retroactive payments to these beneficiaries still have not received their pensions in October, November and December of 2024 such as from Lautem, Baucau, Ermera, Bobonaro, Covalima and Liquiça metade.” She said
She informed, INSS continues to convey to the public that Bank BNCTL will make retroactive payments according to the previously mentioned schedule. Based on the list held by INSS and BNCTL, there are 48,128 beneficiaries, 5,148 people with disabilities or 10.7% and 42,980 grandparents or 89.3% who have not yet received their social pension rights in October to December 2024.
In addition, other municipality that face obstacles in payments, they can report to the INSS complaint center or come directly to the INSS office in the municipality to report your obstacles related to the first phase of Social Pension in 2025.
“Beneficiaries who have bank accounts and have accessed ATM cards are 10,427 people, beneficiaries who receive payments through direct bank accounts are 97,359 people. In addition, in the new registration of beneficiaries in 2025, from January to March, there were 2,961 people who already had bank accounts.” She continued.
She continues to appeal to Authority components such as village heads and sub-village heads to inform beneficiaries who do not yet have a bank account to visit a public bank to open an account.
“Information on beneficiaries receiving double payments, also inform that in 2025 INSS identified several beneficiaries receiving double payments such as civil servants and veterans.” She informed
She informed that the Civil Servant Decree was abolished based on Government Regulation Number 9 of 2024 dated January 1, 2024 in the First Amendment to Government Regulation Number 53 of 2022, Articles 16 and 17 which state, Not making payments to beneficiaries who receive Income from Work Results that are integrated in the social security contribution regime system.
“INSS eliminated beneficiaries who received subsidy funds, as follows 130 beneficiaries who were eliminated from the list of social pension recipients because they received salaries as civil servants, and 542 grandfathers and grandmothers who were eliminated from the list of pension fund recipients because they received veteran funds,” She said.
She continued the 2025 payment guidelines for Social Pension Benefit recipients who use BNCTL ATM cards or other bank cards that INSS will transfer to the bank to make monthly payments.
“BNCTL beneficiaries who do not have an ATM or are unable to seek treatment due to distance will receive payments every three months or quarterly. For beneficiaries who are sick and unable to come to the payment location, the community authority will take a list and submit it to the service officers to be consulted with BNCTL so that they can make direct payments.” She said.
She asked families not to bring beneficiaries who are sick to the payment location, because Bank BNCTL and INSS have compromised to make payments at home, after the normal payment schedule is finished.
“Social Pension Beneficiaries can choose electronic banking services owned by BNCTL with fees set based on BNCTL internal regulations and Commercial Banks in Timor-Leste. BNCTL Bank has established Bank Agents in villages, so that beneficiaries can directly withdraw Social Pension Funds at Village Bank Agents every month, and beneficiaries who have died will not be served by Bank Agents.” She added.
She further said, for Social Pension Beneficiaries who died and the family who cared for them while they were still alive must include a Death Certificate from the Village and Sub-village recognized by the INSS employeement in municipality, which can be submitted to BNCTL Bank, so that BNCTL can make direct payments to the family concerned for three months and BNCTL will close the beneficiary’s bank account directly. BNCTL will make payments to the beneficiary’s representative at the village office if the beneficiary is not present at the payment location.
Further explained that INSS also registered Social Pension Beneficiaries who had Death Certificates from the Component Authorities totaling 246 people, consisting of 18 people with disabilities and 228 grandparents.
Reported by : Nelfiano
Picture by : Nelfiano