But what about SSB's investment portfolio? Investing contributions is the only way the fund can grow to pay out benefits for the next crop of workers facing retirement. Palma says they are maintaining their current investments and they're looking at others that they may embark on. He added that strengthening their investment portfolio is one of their key objectives over the next 5 years.
Jerome Palma, Acting CEO, SSB
"Well, the investment portfolio, as RGM finance has highlighted, is still split a lot in terms of what it was even from 2023. We're still very much invested in our utilities, BEL, BTL, BWS, those are our main investments. We have investments in Treasury notes as well. We have a few other loans to individual entities. The growth of the investment portfolio does depend as to the economy as well. What become the needs? We do have the PPP, the DLM building that has had relative success in terms of rental income and so forth. There other initiatives that we're looking at, but it may be too early to to disclose and get into. And for us now, I say it with a lot of reservation, because we have to do our due diligence before we can move ahead with those things. But we do expect to grow the investment income and the portfolio. We're talking about an increase fund, 50 million surplus at the end of 23, 50 million, again almost at the end of 24. It's about 100 million more in terms of the fund that we're needing to invest. And we have to now take our time to see how we can continue to develop that investment portfolio. So that is a key part of our objectives over the next five years, as we go through the unveiling of the strategic plan, fund sustainability is one of the core items and strategic priority."
