The Social Security System announced on Monday that P53.27 billion maternity benefits was released to 1.91 million members from 2016 to 2021.
The agency said a significant jump in disbursement was first noted in 2019 following the implementation of Republic Act No. 11210 or the Expanded Maternity Leave Law.
The highest peak of releases was recorded in 2021 amounting to P13.90 billion.
“The SSS, as a conduit agency gave its full support to this endeavor through continuous disbursement of maternity benefits to our qualified female members since the law was implemented in March 2019.
We have also recalibrated and simplified the application procedures through online submission of maternity benefit application for members and reimbursement for employers through the My.SSS Portal which started last May 2021,” SSS president and chief operating officer Michael Regino said.
Under the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, the maternity leave was extended from 60 days for normal delivery, 78 days for caesarean deliver to 105 days. SSS female members may also avail themselves of this benefit, regardless of the frequency, provided that the minimum of three qualifying contributions from the 12-month period prior the semester of childbirth or miscarriage/emergency termination of pregnancy has been met and were not paid on or after the semester of contingency.
“With the Expanded Maternity Leave Law, the increased amount of maternity benefit and number of maternity leave assisted our female members with their financial needs, providing extra time to recover from childbirth, and most importantly, to spend quality time with their newborn babies,” Regino said.