SSS to members in MECQ areas: Go online, use drop boxes

MANILA, Philippines — In line with the declaration of the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila and other provinces, all offices and branches of the Social Security System (SSS) located in these areas will operate with skeleton workforce to ensure the continuous delivery of services.

The National Capital Region, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, the city of Santiago in Isabela, Quirino and Abra have been placed under MECQ until April 30.

SSS is thus advising members, pensioners, covered employers and the public to continue using its online services and drop box system when transacting with its offices and branches as the national government extends quarantine limits to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Only 50 percent of branch employees during this period are assigned to physically report for work, while the rest will use alternative work arrangements.

With the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew enforced during MECQ, SSS branches will be open on weekdays only from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Branch transactions are limited to the following: appointments set with the branch, submission of documents through the drop box (for transactions that are not available online), pick-up of Unified Multi-purpose Identification (UMID) Cards and subsequent educational loan checks, compliance with the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners’ Program (for those with suspended pensions), and use of teller services.

The measures will also apply in other areas placed under MECQ through an executive order issued by their respective local government units.

Selected SSS branches will continuously implement the number coding system. The prescribed transaction days of members, claimants, and employers are based on the 10th digit of their social security (SS) or employer (ER) ID—1 and 2 every Monday, 3 and 4 every Tuesday, 5 and 6 every Wednesday, 7 and 8 every Thursday, and 9 and 0 every Friday.

For funeral or death benefit claims, the basis for the prescribed transaction day will be the 10th digit of the deceased SSS member’s ID.

However, if the prescribed transaction day falls on a holiday, the member, claimant, or employer may transact with the SSS on the next working day. In case of system downtime, the SSS will set an appointment with those in line or opt to wait until the system is operational.

The SSS also encourages the transacting public to use the pension fund’s online service channels such as the My.SSS Portal of the SSS website at www.sss.gov.ph, SSS Mobile App, and Text-SSS at 2600.

Information about the mandatory online transactions and other online services are posted on the SSS’ Facebook page at https://bit.ly/31wTXch and https://bit.ly/3tnW12c.

Members can access the list of various payment channels at https://bit.ly/3lpPYaR.

Branches not affected by the MECQ declaration will follow the regular working hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, follow the SSS on Facebook and YouTube at “Philippine Social Security System,” Instagram at “mysssph,” and Twitter at “PHLSSS,” or join the SSS Viber Community at “MYSSSPH Updates.”