What is Semester of Contingency in SSS?

What is SEMESTER OF CONTINGENCY

in the SSS Maternity Benefit Program?

Ano ba kasi ang SEMESTER?

A Semester refers to 6 consecutive months of the year (6 na magkakasunod na months)
or 2 consecutive quarters of the year.

Ano ang CONTINGENCY?
Kapag sa Maternity Benefit, ang Contingency ay yong delivery of your baby, or miscarriage.

The SSS rule on maternity benefit qualification is this:
A female member is qualified for the SSS maternity benefit if she has paid SSS contributions for at least 3 of the 12 months immediately BEFORE the SEMESTER OF CONTINGENCY.

There are 4 semesters of contingency:

Semester 1 ------- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Semester 2 ------- Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Semester 3 ------- Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Semester 4 -------- Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar

Look at the months in blue above.
In which blue month are you giving birth?
In which semester is your blue month?
That Semester is your Semester of Contingency.

Are you giving birth in JANUARY or FEBRUARY or MARCH?

Your semester of contingency is Semester 4 (Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar).
Dapat meron kang at least 3 months na nabayaran within the 12 months immediately BEFORE Semester 4.
or dapat meron kang at least 3 Red months below na nabayaran:

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
JAN FEB MAR Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Are you giving birth in APRIL or MAY or JUNE?

Your semester of contingency is Semester 1 (Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun)
Dapat meron kang nabayaran na at least 3 months na nabayaran within the 12 months immediately BEFORE Semester 1.
or dapat meron kang at least 3 Red months below na nabayaran

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Jan Feb Mar APR MAY JUN Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Are you giving birth in JULY? or AUGUST or SEPTEMBER?

Your semester of contingency is Semester 2 (Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep)
Dapat meron kang nabayaran na at least 3 months na nabayaran within the 12 months immediately BEFORE Semester 2.
or dapat meron kang at least 3 Red months below na nabayaran

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun JUL AUG SEP Oct Nov Dec

Are you giving birth in OCTOBER? or NOVEMBER or DECEMBER?

Your semester of contingency is Semester 3 (July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec)
Dapat meron kang nabayaran na at least 3 months na nabayaran within the 12 months immediately BEFORE Semester 3.
or dapat meron kang at least 3 Red months below na nabayaran

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep OCT NOV DEC

Note: Semester of Contingency is also used in claims for Disability, Sickness and Retirement Benefits.

Are you Eligible for the SSS Maternity Benefit?
SSS Membership -- Voluntary Members, Self-Employed Members
Philhealth Maternity Benefit

Tags SSS

222 Comments

Nora said…

Hi Shin, yes, based sa contributions mo during your employment, eligible ka for maternity benefit, pero sana nakapag-file ka ng notification before you gave birth. Required kasi ang notification. May mga nag-comment dati dito na na-reject sila dahil sa walang prior notification at meron namang na-approve. Hindi ko alam kung anong batayan nila sa approved at rejected kahit walang notification before delivery. Ang meron sa SSS guides is puede kung Employed at DOH-licensed ang hospital.
Try mo mag-file. Since less than 6 months ang gap ng delivery date mo at separation date mo, required ang Certificate of Non-Advancement of Maternity Benefit at Certificate of separation from your employer. Oftentimes, nire-require din nila yong L-501 form from employer din.

3/19/21, 8:44 AM

Nora said…

Hi Shin, based sa contributions mo while employed, yes, eligible ka for maternity benefit. Yes, puede pang mag-file kahit many years na ang lumipas. Ang problem lang is if you did not file a notification bago ka nanganak, kasi requirement nila yan. Merong mga nag-comment dito dati na hindi naka-file na na-approve at meron ding hindi. So try mo na lang.
Since less than 6 months yong gap between your delivery date and separation date, mag-submit ka rin ng Certificate of Non-Advancement of Maternity Benefit, Certificate of Separation and L501 form from your employer.

3/19/21, 8:53 AM

Anonymous said…

Good day po mam, ask ko lang po EDD ko po is June 2021,so ang semester of contengency ko is jan-june 2021,yung jan-dec 2020, 2months lang po nahulog ng employer ko kasi na miscarriage ako nung march 2020 pero bayad na po mat2 ko nun,problem ko po ngaun ay nung sept.2020 Buntis ako kaso hndi pa separated sa work,no work no pay kami dahil sa pandemic.nag ask ako sa employer ko nung november na buntis ako at my ultrasound na,na magpapasa ako sa kanila ng mat1 kaso sabi sakin ako na daw magpasa ng mat1 tska pinag reresign ako dahil sa hndi daw pwede buntis sa work dahil sa pandemic.pwede pa po ba magawan ng way para maging eligible ako sa pag claim ng mat2 kaso jan-Feb 2020 lang nahulog nila sakin dahil nga po na miscarriage ako ng march..wala po ako nagawa kundi magresign,dec 1 2020 ako nagpasa resignation sa kanila.please advise me kung anu po dapat gawin..thanks po mam

4/3/21, 4:55 PM

Nora said…

To the lady who became pregnant on Sep 2020 and whose EDD is June 2021: Sorry dahil sayang sana nakahulog ka ng at least 1 month as Voluntary noong year 2020. Kasi kapag maghulog ka ngayong April for any month last year, late na, hindi na tatanggapin as payment for that year at hindi rin kino-consider ang late payment for benefits. Alam mo na siguro na at least 3 monthly contributions ang requirement para merong maternity benefit. Sorry, wala akong maisip na paraan para maging 3 months ang contributions mo last year. Hindi ko lang sure kung papayag ang employer mo na magbayad ng late with penalty ng kahit one month lang last year kasi no work no pay kayo, at kasi kung walang salary, wala ring ko-computan ng SSS contribution. Take care of yourself.

4/3/21, 10:51 PM

Anonymous said…

Ms. Nora pwede po kaya ako na lang magbayad kahit 1 month at ako na lang din magahoulder ng penalty.Kung maaga ko lang sana nalaman yung semester of contengency sana nagawan ko paraan noon

4/4/21, 12:04 PM

Nora said…

Hi, sad to say na kapag individual member katulad ng Voluntary or OFW, hindi tinatanggap ang late payment kahit willing magbayad ng penalty. Hindi allowed ang sinasabi nilang retroactive payment. Yong mga individual na nagbabayad ng late, inilalagay ng SSS as payment for the next month. Employer lang ang puedeng magbayad ng late with penalty. Ang problem lang is hindi ka nakapagwork after Feb 2020. Sorry na wala akong maisip na paraan. Magtanong ka rin sa SSS Facebook or sa iba para lang sure.

4/4/21, 2:34 PM

Anonymous said…

Ganun po ba.Thanks po Ms Nora.

4/4/21, 6:04 PM

Anonymous said…

Hi my edd is on Jan 2022 Can I still pay the Septsmber 2021? Or is it considered as late payment ?

10/21/21, 6:23 PM

Nora said…

Hi mommie with edd on Jan 2022, sad to say, October na ngayon, so nasa within semester of contingency ka na (Oct to March semester). Kulang ka ba ng isang buwan? Kung meron kang 3 monthly contributions within Oct 2020 to Sep 2021, eligible ka for maternity benefit. Kung gusto mong bayaran ang Sep 2021, puede pa, pero hindi na mabilang for your maternity benefit. Magtanong ka rin sa SSS Facebook.

10/21/21, 7:25 PM

Unknown said…

This comment has been removed by the author.

12/17/21, 9:43 AM

Unknown said…

good morning..May I ask if I'm qualified to file maternity benefit but my pregnancy is miscarriage last oct 2021 but supposed to be my delivery date is may 202.My sss contribution is only last JUly 2021-present.Thank you.

12/17/21, 9:46 AM

Unknown said…

Gudpm po last january.24 2022 i file a maternity notification my delivery due date was august 23 2022 but this january 28,2022 i miscarriage im a voluntary sss payer i start again my voluntary october 2021 until now do i qualify to miscarriage sss beneits?

1/29/22, 6:20 PM

Nora said…

Hi, sorry for your miscarriage. To qualify, you should have paid at least 3 monthly contributions within Oct 2020 to Sep 2021. Your semester of contingency is Oct 2021 to March 2022 (your date of miscarriage is within this semester). You should have at least 3 contributions within the 12 months prior to semester of contingency. Ask other people too

1/30/22, 12:52 AM

Anonymous said…

Hi po, pwede po patulong po ako compute at kung qualify po ba ako mag claim ng maternity benefits. EDD ko po ay sa July 10, 2022 may contribution po ako
July 2020 - 360
Aug 2020 - 360
Sep 2020 - 360
Oct 2020 - 360
Nov 2020 - 360
Dec 2020 - 360
Jan 2021 - 1105
Feb 2021 - 1105
March 2021 - 1105
Oct 2021 - 1105
Nov 2021 - 1105
Dec 2021 - 1105
Jan 2022 - 1105
Feb 2022 - 1105
Mar 2022 - 1105

salamat po.

3/3/22, 2:02 PM

Nora said…

Hi lady whose EDD is July 10, 2022. Yes, you're qualified for maternity benefit because you have at least 3 monthly contributions within the 12-month period prior to your semester of contingency (which is Apr 2022 to Sep 2022). Your 12-month period prior to your semester of contingency is April 2021 to March 2022. You did not have contributions from April 2021 to Sep 2021, but it's good you have 6 monthly contributions (Oct 2021 to March 2022). The salary credit for 1105 is 8500, so we will find the total of all your salary credits (8500 x 6 months = 51k). We will compute your Daily Average Salary Credit (51k/180 days = 283.33 per day).
We multiply 283.33 x 105 days = 29,750. This is your benefit for either normal birth or cesarean. You are given 120 days if you're a single mother.
Please check with others too. I might have overlooked something.

3/4/22, 8:05 AM

Anonymous said…

hello po, ask ko lang po. matagal na akong separated sa work ko. and i'm preggy now. September 10,2022 po ang EDD ko. Pwede pa po ba ako magbayad ngayon for the month of jan-march 2022 para maka avail po ako ng maternity benefit? Thank you po

4/8/22, 8:50 PM

Nora said…

Hi preggy with Sep 2022 EDD: Sorry, pero April 8 na. Ang month of April ay nasa loob na ng semester of contingency mo (Apr-May-Jun-Jul-Aug-Sep). Puede pa sana ang Jan to March, pero dapat nabayaran mo within Jan to March. Merong rule ang SSS na ganito:
SSS Circular No. 2019-009
"In determining the female member's entitlement to maternity benefit, the SSS shall consider only those contributions paid prior to the semester of contingency."
Na-mention pa ito sa isa pang circular, pero hindi ko makita at the moment.
Kung malaki ang possibility na manganak ka sa October, puede mo pang bayaran ang Jan to June para maging eligible ka.
Pero magtanong ka pa rin sa iba, para sure na sure.

4/8/22, 10:07 PM

Anonymous said…

Hi po ask ko lang month of contingency po oct. 2022 pwede pa po ba kaya mag bayad ngayon ng jan-march na contribution ? Last ss number 3 po.

4/26/22, 6:45 PM

Nora said…

Q: Hi po ask ko lang month of contingency po oct. 2022 pwede pa po ba kaya mag bayad ngayon ng jan-march na contribution ? Last ss number 3 po.
Answer: Hi. Oo puede pa. Dapat month of April. Pay before Apr 30. April 30 is a Saturday. Ang semester of contingency mo is July to Dec, so puede mo pang bayaran ang April to June kung wala ka pang 6 months na paid within July 2021 to June 2022.

4/27/22, 3:01 AM

Nora said…

Ang deadline ng payment ay hindi na based sa last digit ng SSS no. Para sa lahat ng voluntary or self-employed, ang deadline for payment is the last day of the month following the applicable month or quarter. This means puede mong bayaran ang month of March or the quarter of Jan-Feb-Mar anytime within April.

4/27/22, 3:23 AM

Anonymous said…

Hi good afternoon may semester of contingency is semester 4 since may edd is on feb 17 pero nahulugan ko yong sss ko last year lang that was from sept-dec nong nag work ako pero nag stop ako sa trabaho kaya hindi na nahulogan until now tanong ko lang po if im still eligible for maternity benefits thanks.

9/18/23, 2:31 PM

Nora said…

Hi Mother to be, yes, eligible ka for maternity benefit. Tama ka ng Semester 4 ang semester of contingency mo (Oct 2023 to Mar 2024). So para ma-qualify, dapat meron kang at least 3 monthly contributions from Oct 2022 to Sep 2023. Meron ka, kasi sabi mo meron kang contributions from Sep to Dec 2022. Para lumaki pa ang benefit amount mo, bayaran mo pa itong July August September (3 months) as Voluntary para madagdagan ang benefit mo. Dapat bayaran mo this month of September, hindi sa October, kasi hindi na valid for benefit pag ang payment ay within the semester of contingency.

9/18/23, 3:24 PM

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