Social Security System (SSS) branches here in Luzon North 1 Division are now back under the ‘new normal’ operations after one and a half months of operating with skeleton workforce due to the government-imposed Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon.
SSS branches located in Laoag, Vigan, Candon, Bangued, Bontoc, La Union (San Fernando City), and Agoo opened their doors to the transacting public on May 4, 2020 after the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease lifted the ECQ in selected provinces and were placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ).
SSS Baguio and SSS La Trinidad branches resume operations on May 18, 2020.
SSS Vice President for Luzon North 1 Division Caesar P. Saludo said that general precautionary measures are already in place to ensure the safety of its members and its frontline personnel.
“In adherence to the DOH directives,we shall implement the ‘No mask, no entry’ policy which is a mandatory requirement for our members. Social distancing will also be strictly implemented within and outside the branch premises. Members will be guided by markers where they should stand in queue. Once inside our offices, one meter distance in between seats is also imposed. They will also be asked to fill out Health Declaration Slip for monitoring purposes,” Saludo added.
Aside from the usual temperature checks in branches’ gates and doors, foot baths will also be available for disinfection purposes. Branches has also designated a separate entrance and exit doors to avoid overcrowding.
Number coding scheme will also be implemented in all branches to avoid over-crowding. Members are encouraged to transact with SSS on a scheduled day depending on the last digit of their Social Security (SS) numbers. Those with SS numbers ending in 1 and 2 are to transact only with SSS every Mondays, 3 and 4 every Tuesdays, 5 and 6 every Wednesdays, 7 and 8 on Thursdays and 9 and 0 on Fridays.
“For those members whose main purpose of visiting our branch is to submit their benefit applications, they are highly encouraged to submit it via drop boxes located in front of our branches. Our staff will collect the documents every afternoon for processing the following day. We encourage them to write their contact details in their application forms so that we can update them with their respective status,” Saludo explained.
SSS La Union on the other hand launched its text lines so that members can send their queries thru SMS instead of visiting the office. Members may send their SSS queries every Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm, to 0915-666-2004 or 0951-987-7092. A phone booth was also installed outside the building to accommodate the queries of walk-in clients.
“While we are coping with the ‘new normal’ amidst the ongoing health crisis, we appeal to our members for their patience and cooperation in these difficult times. As we continue to commit ourselves to public service during this time of crisis, our priority will always be their safety and health from corona virus disease (CoVID-19),” Saludo concluded.
SSS is also encouraging its members to utilize their various online platforms like Text-SSS, SSS Mobile App, FB page (Philippine Social Security System) and sending e-mail through members_relations@sss.gov.ph for faster, easier and comfortable transactions.
As of May 15, 2020, over the counter transactions from the seven NL branches that opened on May 4 already reached to 3,285 which comprised of SSS benefit applications and other member-related queries.
Press Release