A month after its initial implementation last May 31, 2021, the Social Security System (SSS) received over 17,726 maternity benefit applications online through the My.SSSPortal on the SSS website.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora C. Ignacio said that the online submission of Maternity Benefit Application (MBA) was implemented to provide faster, easier, and more convenient options for female members to transact with the SSS.

“As one of the vulnerable sectors of our society, the SSS immediately responded to the needs of our pregnant members especially during this pandemic,” said Ignacio.

Qualified to submit MBA online are female self-employed, voluntary, overseas Filipino worker (OFW), non-working spouse members, and members who are separated from employment and have not receive any advanced payment of maternity benefit from their previous employers, including household employers.

They should also meet the standard qualifying conditions including the contribution requirement of at least three monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of the childbirth, miscarriage, or emergency termination of pregnancy (ETP). They may submit their maternity notification via the My.SSS portal on the SSS website or through the SSS Mobile App.  

“We would like to remind our members that only contributions paid prior to the semester of childbirth, miscarriage, or ETP will be considered in determining eligibility for maternity benefits. That’s why it is very important for individual members to pay their contributions regularly,” added Ignacio.

In the case of employed members, they should notify their employers upon learning about their pregnancy.  Meanwhile, employers should pay them their maternity benefits in advance and file for maternity benefit reimbursement application online through the My.SSS Portal in the SSS website.

The SSS Chief also reminded its members and employers to enroll their bank accounts first in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM) before submitting their applications and reimbursements.

Covered under the online MBA are initial or new maternity benefit claims, as well as adjustments for the following scenarios: member being a solo parent; correction on the type of delivery from normal to caesarian delivery or from miscarriage to ectopic pregnancy with operation; SSS computation is higher than the employer’s computation; additional posted contributions will increase the benefit amount, correction of the approved number of compensable days from 60 (normal delivery) or 78 (caesarian section delivery) to 105 days; and allocation of leave credits not used due to separation from employment of child’s father or qualified alternate caregiver.

Uploading of supporting documents are required for the filing of MBA online.  Members are reminded to ensure that the uploaded documents are complete, properly scanned and clear, and not altered or tampered to avoid rejection of the claim.

The mandatory implementation of MBA online took effect last September 1, 2021, where over-the-counter applications or filing through drop box in SSS branch offices are no longer accepted.

The step-by-step procedure of online submission of MBA can be accessed through this link https://bit.ly/372GvQc.

Announcements and other information are posted on the official SSS accounts on Facebook and YouTube at “Philippine Social Security System,” Instagram at “mysssph,” and on Twitter at “PHLSSS,” and in the SSS Viber Community at “MYSSSPH Updates.”

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