Under Republic Act No. 11210, otherwise known as the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law, the Social Security System (SSS) provides a cash allowance to eligible female members. This benefit is designed to compensate for the loss of income during the period where the member cannot work due to childbirth, miscarriage, or emergency termination of pregnancy.
To access these benefits, a member must navigate two distinct phases: Notification (MAT-1) and Reimbursement/Application (MAT-2).
I. Essential Eligibility Criteria
Before filing, a member must satisfy the following legal requirements:
- Contribution Requirement: The member must have paid at least three (3) monthly contributions within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of childbirth or miscarriage.
- Notification: The member must have notified her employer (if employed) or the SSS (if voluntary/separated/self-employed) regarding her pregnancy.
II. Phase 1: The Maternity Notification (MAT-1)
The MAT-1 is the formal declaration of pregnancy. It serves as a "notice of intent" to claim the benefit.
When to file: As soon as the member learns she is pregnant, ideally within the first trimester. Where to file: * Employed Members: Through the SSS Employer Web Account. The employee must inform the employer, who then encodes the notification online.
- Self-Employed, Voluntary, and Separated Members: Through the My.SSS Member Portal on the SSS website or the SSS Mobile App.
Requirements for MAT-1:
- Proof of pregnancy (e.g., Ultrasound report, medical certificate, or pregnancy test result verified by a physician).
- A valid UMID card or two valid government-issued IDs with photo and signature.
III. Phase 2: The Maternity Benefit Application (MAT-2)
The MAT-2 is the actual claim for the cash benefit, filed after the delivery or miscarriage.
A. Common Requirements (For all types of delivery)
- SSS Maternity Benefit Application Form (if filed manually, though online filing is now mandatory for most).
- Registered My.SSS Account for online filing.
- Disbursement Account: The member must have a registered account in the DAEM (Disbursement Account Enrollment Module) via My.SSS (e.g., e-wallet, bank account, or UnionBank QuickCard).
B. Specific Documentary Requirements
The documents vary depending on the outcome of the pregnancy:
| Outcome | Required Documents |
|---|---|
| Normal or Caesarean Delivery | Certificate of Live Birth duly registered with the Local Civil Registrar (LCR) or Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). |
| Miscarriage or Emergency Termination (ETP) | 1. Medical Certificate/Operating Room Record/Histopath Report. |
2. Proof of pregnancy prior to the miscarriage (Ultrasound or Pregnancy Test). |
| Stillbirth | Fetal Death Certificate duly registered with the LCR or PSA. |
IV. The Role of the Employer (For Employed Members)
For members currently employed in the private sector:
- Advance Payment: The employer is legally mandated to pay the maternity benefit in full within 30 days from the filing of the maternity leave application.
- SSS Reimbursement: The employer then files for reimbursement (MAT-2) from the SSS to recover the amount advanced to the employee.
- Salary Differential: If the employee’s actual salary is higher than the SSS maximum benefit, the employer is generally required to pay the difference (Salary Differential), unless the company is exempted under specific Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) guidelines.
V. Important Deadlines and Limitations
- Prescription Period: The claim for maternity benefit must be filed within ten (10) years from the date of delivery, miscarriage, or ETP.
- Frequency: Unlike the previous law, the 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law grants benefits for every instance of pregnancy (childbirth, miscarriage, or ETP) without a cap on the number of pregnancies.
- Sole Source of Truth: All notifications and applications are now primarily processed through the SSS Portal (online). Manual filing is only entertained under exceptional circumstances or system downtime as declared by the SSS.
VI. Benefit Computation
The benefit is calculated based on the member's Average Daily Salary Credit (ADSC).
- Identify the semester of contingency (the semester of delivery).
- Look at the 12-month period immediately preceding that semester.
- Select the six (6) highest Monthly Salary Credits (MSC) within that period.
- Add the six MSCs and divide by 180 to get the ADSC.
- Multiply the ADSC by 105 days (for live births) or 60 days (for miscarriages/ETP).