The Social Security System (SSS) on Wednesday said that P391.28 million worth of unemployment benefits were released during the coronavirus disease (CoVID-19) pandemic.
The highest amount of disbursement was recorded in Luzon with P143.60 million, followed by National Capital Region (NCR), Mindanao, and Visayas with P102.71 million, P86.43 million, and P58.54 million, respectively.
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said that 29,413 unemployment benefit applications were approved from March 17 to August 11, 2020 and released an average amount of cash benefit equivalent to P13,303.
“In support of our members who became jobless in these difficult times, SSS will continue to accept online applications so that we can immediately respond to their needs in times of contingencies such as during this pandemic. We also encourage them to create their own My.SSS account through registration at the SSS Website to proceed with their applications.” Ignacio said.
Members are also required to register their bank accounts in their My.SSS accounts through the Bank Enrollment Module (BEM) and proceed to the E-services tab and click Bank Enrollment. From there, members can select their preferred PESONet participating bank, e-wallet, or RTC/CPO and enter their correct bank account number or mobile number.
To submit their unemployment benefit application, members should log in to My.SSS account and click “apply for the unemployment benefit claim” under the E-Services tab. Members must provide all the information such as their active savings account enrolled in the Bank Enrollment Module (BEM), employment category, the date and reason of involuntary separation, as well as the employer’s name where they were separated.
Online applicants should read the certification carefully before clicking the “Submit” box to agree and proceed with the application. SSS will send a notification through email while members must reply to it by attaching the scanned copies of the certification issued by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) or by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) and the Notice of Termination from the Employer or Affidavit of Termination from Employment, whichever is applicable. Members will receive a confirmation email from SSS regarding their successful application.
“Reports indicated that nearly 40,000 applications were rejected due to discrepancies and incomplete information found in submitted documentary requirements, unreadable/blurred/altered scanned documents, while some applicants failed to attach any supporting documents. It is why members should be careful in encoding their information to avoid delays in the processing and approval of their applications and provide clear copies of their supporting documents as much as possible.” Ignacio explained.
The SSS Chief also noted that despite the issuance of a DOLE Certification, the SSS has the sole authority to deny a member’s unemployment benefit application based on its assessment and guidelines.
To qualify for unemployment benefit, members must not be more than 60 years old at the time of involuntary separation, except for underground and surface mineworkers, and racehorse jockeys whose age should not be more than 50 and 55 years old, respectively.
Member-applicant must have paid at least 36 monthly contributions, wherein 12 months of which should have been paid within the 18-month-period before the month of involuntary separation due to economic downturn, calamity/disaster, installation of labor-saving devices; redundancy; retrenchment or downsizing; closure or cessation of operation; and disease or illness of the employee whose continued employment is prohibited by law or is prejudicial to his or her co-employees’ health.
For further queries, members may call the SSS hotline at 1455. They may also follow the official Facebook page, “Philippine Social Security System,” Instagram Account “Mysssph,” or Twitter Feed “PHLSSS”. (H. Consignado)
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