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IN December 2019, a pneumonia of unknown cause detected in Wuhan was first reported to the World Health Organization country office in China. Then the WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020. On February 11, 2020, a name for the new coronavirus disease was announced: Covid-19. On March 11, the WHO
characterized Covid-19 as a global pandemic affecting more than 200 countries.
In the Philippines, the virus has caused human suffering and the loss of lives. As of this writing, the virus has infected more than 7,700 Filipinos and killed 511 others.
The Covid-19 pandemic is an extreme example of a health risk. Our susceptibility to this kind of risk jeopardizes our livelihood and our ability to participate and contribute to the labor market and to the country’s economy. When we get sick, we can’t work. We only report back to work after we have fully recovered. Thus, sickness cripples our potential as earning individuals and the pandemic, if prolonged, could bring us to the deathbed of poverty, hunger and inequality.
This is where social protection policies and agenda play a significant role. Since 1957, the Social Security System has been mandated by law to extend equitable and meaningful social security protection to our members and their beneficiaries in times of contingencies such as sickness.
Sickness benefit, as one of SSS’ short-term benefits, is a daily cash allowance paid for the number of days a member is unable to work due to sickness. To qualify, a member must have paid at least three contributions within the last 12 months prior to the semester of sickness; has been sick for home or hospital confinement for at least four days; has exhausted all his paid company sick leaves; and has notified his employer regarding his sickness.
In this time of public health crisis, the SSS is one with the country’s commitment to respond to the growing and varying needs of the Filipino people through the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.”
During the first week of the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine in the National Capital Region and the entire Luzon area, SSS has offered various Covid-19 Relief Programs. One of this is the extended filing period of all sickness benefit claims with contingencies starting on March 1 until April 30, 2020. Under the temporary extension, employed members are given 60 days after the end of their home confinement to submit their sickness notification to their employers.
Likewise, employers are also given 60 days after their receipt of notice from the employee to submit the sickness notification to SSS. This also includes individual members such as self-employed, overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and voluntary members who are given the same 60-day extension for the submission of their sickness benefit application.
On the other hand, employers and SE/VM/OFW members whose sickness benefit/reimbursement claims are due for filing on March 1 until April 30, 2020 may still file their sickness claims until June 30, 2020, without any reduction and/or denial of their claims.
Moreover, employers are also reminded to advance the payment of the sickness benefit of their respective employees, which is one of their primary and legal obligations under Republic Act 11199 (Social Security Act of 2018).
The SSS, being true to its mandate, recognizes that access to social protection is a fundamental human right. Its various programs, suited for the work force, allow the agency to help cushion the impact of certain risks and recurring adversities that workers may experience along the way.
The Filipino workers can be assured that the SSS can and will always be a responsive and adequate system of social security protection.
As we always say, buti na lang, may SSS!
Aurora C. Ignacio is SSS president and chief executive officer.
We welcome your questions and insights on the topics that we discuss. E-mail mediaaffairs@sss.gov.ph for topics that you might want us to discuss.