MANILA -- State pension fund the Social Security System (SSS) said Friday, a "number coding system" is in place to handle member transactions aimed at regulating the number of people at its branches to prevent further spread of the virus.

Sixty one branches nationwide are covered by this new system, including all SSS branches in the National Capital Region (NCR), it said.

Under SSS circular no. 2020-017, a weekly schedule for members and employers will be implemented based on the last digit of their social security or ER ID numbers as follows:

- Mondays for SS or ER ID number ending in 1 or 2
- Tuesdays for those ending in 3 or 4
- Wednesdays for those ending in 5 or 6
- Thursdays for those ending in 7 or 8
- Fridays for those ending in 9 or 0

For funeral and death claims, the SS number of the deceased member will be the basis for the number coding schedule, it said.

The number of 'walk-in' transactions will also be limited to the payment of contributions and loans, compliance to the SS Number Application thru the SSS web, pick-up of Unified Multi-Purpose Identification (UMID) card, presentation of original documents to support claim applications, and other reasons, it added.

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"Through these alternative branch service procedures, we are hoping to limit our stakeholders' risk of exposure to COVID-19. We have also expanded our online services in the My.SSS web portal so that they can transact with us at the convenience of their homes or offices," said Aurora Ignacio, SSS president and CEO.

Drop boxes are also available, it said, while encouraging 'contactless' digital transactions.

In case of a system downtime, the SSS branch will set an appointment for members and employers waiting in line. If a prescribed transaction day is a declared holiday, the member or employer is allowed to transact on the next working day.

Members may access their contribution records, check the status of their benefit claims and loan applications, and make other transactions through the My.SSS web portal at www.sss.gov.ph, SSS Mobile App, Text-SSS at 2600, and Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) at 7917-7777, it said.