Maternity benefits for female SSS members
When starting a new family, soon-to-be parents often ask themselves these questions: Can they handle the diaper changes, lack of sleep and late-night feedings? Can they handle the immediate expenses that come with pregnancy and childbirth?
For female workers who will be taking a leave to give birth and bond with their babies, having additional funds to mitigate ensuing costs is crucial. Indeed, the addition of a new member to the family can stretch one’s finances. It is during these times when maternity benefits come in handy.
SSS has always recognized the invaluable contribution of the country’s female work force ever since the Social Security Law was signed in 1954. Since the beginning, maternity benefit is included in the pension fund’s social security programs, along with sickness, disability, retirement, death, funeral—and unemployment in 2019. Adapting to the needs of the times, SSS continues to improve its benefit systems to promote the welfare of workers and women through the Expanded
Maternity Leave Law (EMLL) under the Republic Act 11210, which was implemented on March 11, 2019.
Under the EMLL the compensable number of days for maternity benefit leave was increased to 105 days for live childbirth, regardless of the mode of delivery (whether caesarian or normal), and an additional 15 days paid leave if the female worker qualified as a solo parent; or 60 days paid leave for miscarriage and emergency termination of pregnancy (ETP); and with an option to extend for an additional 30 days without pay in case of live childbirth. The law also expanded the childcare leave period for every instance of pregnancy, miscarriage, or ETP, from the previous limit of four deliveries or miscarriages.
The SSS maternity benefit is a cash allowance granted to female members. To qualify, she should have at least three monthly paid contributions within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of her childbirth, miscarriage, or ETP.
It has been observed that there has been a steady increase in the amount of maternity benefit payouts over the last five years. In 2016, SSS disbursed P5.29 million for maternity benefits, then P6.11 million in 2017, P7.07 million in 2018, P10.41 million in 2019, and P10.49 million in 2020. From January to May 2021, SSS already released P5.99 million in maternity benefits to over 157,000 female members. This is 68.3-percent higher than disbursements in the first six months of 2020.
This increase in numbers during the first half of the year is due to the higher number of leave credits granted to female SSS members. Another factor is the easing up of quarantine restrictions that made it possible for female members to go to SSS branches and submit their maternity benefit applications, as some deferred their branch appointments as a result of the lockdowns imposed last year. It is good to note that technology has made the filing of benefit applications much easier. Effective May 31, 2021, maternity benefit applications (MBAS) and maternity benefit reimbursement applications (MBRAS) can now be filed online through the MY.SSS facility on the SSS Web site.
MBA and MBRA are still being received at the branch offices or through the drop boxes until August 31, 2021. But starting September 1, 2021, online submission of applications will be mandatory. It is important to remember that SSS members must set up their own MY.SSS account, not only for filing of benefit applications but also for monitoring their contribution payments, as well as updating/correcting their SSS records. We also encourage them to enroll their respective disbursement accounts through the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module for immediate disbursement of their benefit payments and loan proceeds.
It is part of SSS’ mandate to provide meaningful protection and world-class service to our members and their beneficiaries. We support and salute our female members as they juggle the responsibilities of being professionals, mothers, and homemakers. This is the reason why we continuously work on improving all our benefit processes so our members can have a happy and satisfied customer experience. This is what we envisioned when we designed our brand campaign, Expresss, for faster, simpler, and easier transactions.
Have a good day everyone!