SSS approves over 4,300 unemployment benefit applications

The Social Security System (SSS) on Friday said it had approved more than 4,300 unemployment benefit applications that were filed online since announcing the new procedure.

“From June 22 to July 6, 2020, we already released an initial P59.80 million worth of unemployment benefits to 4,392 qualified members who submitted their online application thru their My.SSS accounts. We expect that these figures will continue to increase as more companies announced retrenchment and closure of businesses due to the pandemic crisis.” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said.

The highest number of online applicants came from Luzon with 1,697, followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) with 972 applicants, Visayas, Mindanao, 894 applicants, and 822 applicants.

In terms of the mode of disbursement, 99 percent of the members received their cash benefits through their savings accounts. Meanwhile, the remaining one percent received their unemployment benefits through their Unified Multipurpose Identification (UMID) Card enrolled as ATM or through Remittance Transfer Companies (RTC)/ Cash Payout Outlets (CPO).

“As part of our digital transformation efforts, SSS aside from shifting its transactions online is also geared towards a checkless payment system,” Ignacio added.

Before submitting their unemployment benefit application online, members should have their own My.SSS account through registration at the SSS Website. The disbursement account should also be registered in their My.SSS accounts through 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.

Upon successful registration, 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, date and reason of involuntary separation, and 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. Members must reply to the notification 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. Member-applicant will receive a confirmation email from SSS regarding their successful application.

“We would also like to remind our members that the DOLE, through its regional offices and POLO, is now issuing electronic copies of the certification that established the nature and date of involuntary separation. Our branch personnel will verify the authenticity of the submitted DOLE certification through the issuing DOLE offices,” Ignacio concluded.

Unemployment benefit is equivalent to half of their average monthly salary credit (AMSC) for a maximum of two months. The cash benefit ranges from the minimum amount of P1,200 up to the maximum amount of P16,800, if involuntary separated in July 2020.

For further queries, members may call the SSS hotline at 1455 or the Interactive Voice Response System facility at 7917-7777. They may also follow the official Facebook page, “Philippine Social Security System,” Instagram Account “Mysssph,” or Twitter Feed “PHLSSS” for more information.