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Alaska Aces ready to buckle down to work and compete

By Michael Angelo S. Murillo, Senior Reporter

UNABLE to train on-court as a group for the few months because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Alaska Aces are girding to begin some training this week as the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) makes its long-delayed return to activities.

With the National Capital Region reverting to a more relaxed quarantine setup last week, the window opened for the PBA to finally set into motion its planned team workouts, the first phase in its push to resume its currently suspended season.

By Aug. 25, all the 12 member PBA teams are expected to begin their respective workouts which will be guided by strict health and safety protocols to guard against the spread of the coronavirus.

Under the protocols set by the PBA, and approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), in the workouts, players must observe proper distancing (only four players at a time) and hygiene with the designated team safety officer expected to be on top of things.

Other items in the protocols are players undergoing a series of swab testings and them abiding by the “closed circuit” method that has players confining their travel as much as possible to home-to-practice facility and back.

For the Aces, after months of being limited to online training, the return to on-court team workouts is a welcome development and something they are looking at as paving the way for the resumption of the currently suspended season where they hope to make noise and compete.

“What’s nice is finally we’re going to get back to the court. Even if it’s just a small group workout, I think at this point every team will take it just to be present on the court. That’s what is important,” said Alaska coach Jeffrey Cariaso on The Chasedown show on Saturday.

“We practice at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong. I think we’re the only PBA team training there and we’re excited about that. After being delayed for some time, it’s finally here,” he added.

The Alaska coach said everybody is expected to participate in the workouts, save for veteran Sonny Thoss, who asked permission not to join the team in the first few weeks of the training as he evaluates his future in the league.

By the end of last season, Mr. Thoss, a 16-year veteran all with Alaska, was already set to retire but was talked into playing at least one more conference until the pandemic hit.

“He’s unsure what he wants to do. I would still have to discuss with him and see what his final answer would be,” said Mr. Cariaso.

As to the direction of the team in the truncated PBA season, Mr. Cariaso said if the tournament returns this year their push will be the same: to compete.

“We expect to compete. Each and every night we’re going to compete and give our best,” he said.

The Aces are pinning their push on a good mix of up-and-comers, young stars and seasoned veterans.

“We have a balanced lineup and I like our combinations. I expect us to do well,” Mr. Cariaso said.

As a team, Alaska, the second most successful team in PBA history, is gunning for its 15th league title.

Steely Bayern edges PSG to claim Champions League crown

LISBON — Bayern Munich were crowned European champions for the sixth time after beating Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) 1-0 thanks to a second-half header from former PSG youth academy graduate Kingsley Coman in an absorbing Champions League final on Sunday.

France international Coman appeared at the back post to head the decisive goal in the 59th minute as Bayern became the first team to lift the Champions League with a 100% record.

There were no fans to witness the triumph but Bayern celebrated as though 80,000 were cheering and, even as the lights went out nearly two hours after the final whistle, three players still sat in the centre circle, savoring the moment.

The victory at the Estadio da Luz, deserved after a dogged display once Bayern got in front, secured a second treble for the Germans, the Bundesliga and German Cup winners, and completed a remarkable first season for coach Hansi Flick.

Flick took over a struggling side in November, after a 5-1 hammering by Eintracht Frankfurt led to the sacking of Niko Kovac with the club fourth in the Bundesliga.

PSG, who were playing in their first Champions League final, paid the price for wastefulness in the first half as Neymar and Kylian Mbappe failed to beat Neuer from close range.

The French club has benefitted from huge investment by Qatari Sports Investments but, while dominant in their domestic league, they fell short at the final hurdle in Europe.

INSPIRED DECISION
Flick opted to start with Coman instead of Croatian Ivan Perisic on the left flank and it was an inspired decision. Jerome Boateng was deemed fit to start in Bayern’s central defense, having recovered from a knock picked up in the semifinal win over Olympique Lyonnais.

After a cagey opening, Neymar burst into life in the 18th minute, scampering into the box and firing off a left-foot shot but Neuer’s outstretched leg foiled the Brazilian.

It was hardly an easy chance but it was the kind of opportunity that PSG fans were hoping their 222 million euro ($261.89 million) striker would turn into a moment of glory.

Four minutes later Bayern’s goal threat, Robert Lewandowski, was found in the box by a left wing cross from Alphonso Davies and given too much room to turn but his shot struck the post.

PSG were certainly asking questions of the Bayern defence and the livewire Angel Di Maria, after a quick exchange on the edge of the area, created space for a shot but his effort, with his weaker right foot, flew high and wide.

Bayern’s gamble to start Boateng looked misplaced when he hobbled off in the 25th minute, being replaced by Niklas Suele.

PSG’s industrious midfielder Ander Herrera then had a fierce effort from distance deflected wide, while at the other end Lewandowski’s stooping header from close range forced a fine reflex save out of Navas.

Mbappe, PSG’s talented French World Cup-winning striker, should have done better just before the break when, after a smart one-two with Herrera, he shot straight at Neuer.

COMAN HEADER
It was a scrappy start to the second half with both sides struggling to find any composure but the game came alive just before the hour mark.

After a well worked move down the right Joshua Kimmich picked out Coman at the back post and he got behind Thilo Kehrer to head firmly into the bottom corner.

Coman threatened in the same area again moments later, after Mueller found him with a cross, and Thiago Silva had to block the volley.

Bayern were starting to look in control and PSG coach Thomas Tuchel responded by throwing on his Italian midfielder Marco Verratti in a bid to change the momentum.

But Flick’s side were in no mood to give up their lead and they fought for every ball with tenacity, reducing any chance PSG had to find openings for their expensive strikeforce.

One final opportunity did come, in stoppage time, when Mbappe broke down the inside-left channel and found Neymar who turned sharply but saw his shot go harmlessly wide.

The PSG dream was over, the debutant finalists defeated by the determination, organization and remarkable consistency of the formidable and now six-times champions of Europe. — Reuters

ALA Boxing closure a big blow, says analyst

ONE of the main players in the local boxing scene ended last week its successful run as Cebu-based ALA Boxing decided to close down.

In an announcement released last week, ALA Boxing, which includes ALA Promotions and ALA Gym, said it will cease to exist after 35 years of furthering the sport of boxing and being home to some of the top fighters in the land.

ALA Boxing cited as reasons, among other things, the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the closure of long-time broadcast network partner ABS-CBN.

For local combat sports analyst Nissi Icasiano, ALA Boxing’s closure was an unfortunate turn of events and was a huge hit to the local boxing scene considering the kind of impact the group had.

“It’s a big blow to the Philippine boxing scene. Since the mid-2000s, ALA Boxing has been the gold standard. I won’t deny that I was surprised. Like any other organization, I was just expecting them to regroup and wait for the right time to resume operations. I didn’t expect the promotion to completely fold,” said Mr. Icasiano in an interview with BusinessWorld.

“It’s just a proof that this pandemic spares no one. It’s disheartening because ALA plays an enormous role in the boxing ecosystem of the country. It’s the end of an era. But for sure, their legacy will live on,” he added.

Established by Cebu businessman Antonio Aldeguer in 1985, and later on headed by his son Michael, ALA Boxing was very active in pushing for the sport in the country, holding many events in different parts of the country.

It also built a solid stable of fighters who succeeded on various levels and became world champions, including the likes of Donnie Nietes, Melin Melindo, Mark Magsayo, Albert Pagara and Gerry Peñalosa.

The group was behind the highly successful “Pinoy Pride” boxing series, which was well received locally as well as abroad.   

“ALA is simply the most successful boxing promotion. It simply started out as a just platform for up-and-comers, but eventually made it possible to bring world-class boxing action to our doorstep,” Mr. Icasiano said.

“I just hope with the closure of ALA, it doesn’t hinder the progress of boxing. Other promoters have a lot of work to do to fill in the absence of ALA,” he added. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

Lionel Messi would be ‘welcome’ at Paris Saint-Germain, says Tuchel

PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (PSG) manager Thomas Tuchel says Lionel Messi would be welcome at the club if he ever decided to leave Barcelona but he does not expect the Argentine forward to do so.

Messi, who joined Barcelona aged 13, has scored a record 634 goals for the club in 730 games and is also their most decorated player with 33 trophies but the 33-year-old is into the final year of his contract at the club.

Reports in the Spanish media have cast doubts about his future at the club after a disappointing season that culminated in an 8-2 Champions League humiliation by Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals this month.

“He’s very welcome. What coach says no to Messi?” Tuchel told BT Sport after his side lost 1-0 to Bayern in the Champions League final on Sunday.

“I think Messi finishes his career in Barcelona. He’s Mr Barcelona.

Tuchel said the club would talk over their potential signing targets and that they needed a deeper squad to cope with the demands of the new season.

“We lost lots of players for this campaign and we lose now Thiago Silva and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting,” he added.

“We need to use the transfer window now to make the squad wider. The campaign will be very demanding without any breaks. “We need to build a strong squad. We decided not to talk about transfers in this period. We’ll sit together in the next days.”

The 2019-20 French Ligue 1 season was cancelled in March amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the new campaign kicked off over the weekend. — Reuters

Top women’s seeds fall at Western and Southern

THE Western and Southern Open lost its top two women’s seeds on Sunday with number one Karolina Pliskova and number two Sofia Kenin crashing out of the US Open tuneup.

Czech Pliskova, who had a first-round bye, slammed down 11 aces but also committed nine double faults in a 7-5 6-4 defeat to Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova.

Australian Open champion Kenin also struggled to get going after the COVID-19 layoff, losing 6-1 7-6(7) to France’s Alize Cornet, who beat American wildcard Catherine McNally 6-0 6-4 in the opening round, dropping just 10 points in the first set.

“It didn’t feel like I had any rhythm,” said Kenin. “I don’t know why I let that happen.

“I literally couldn’t feel the ball, like literally two sets. I don’t even know how I came back, to be honest.

“It was really frustrating.”

Marketa Vondrousova continued her run of poor form as the Czech 10th seed lost 6-3 6-7(3) 6-4 to German qualifier Laura Siegemund in a first-round clash.

2019 French Open finalist Vondrousova, who also made a first-round exit at the WTA Tour’s restart in Palermo, was up a break 4-2 in the third and looking set for victory until Seigemund swept the last four games.

Estonian 12th seed Anett Konaveit, coming off a runner-up finish in Palermo, moved into the second round with a 6-3 6-1 win over Russian lucky loser Daria Kasatkina, while 14th seed Elise Mertens of Belgium thumped Swede Rebecca Peterson 6-0 6-2.

In the men’s draw, Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas eased to a 6-1 6-3 second-round win over South Africa’s Kevin Anderson while seventh seed David Goffin sailed past Croatia’s Borna Coric 7-6(6) 6-4 into the third round.

Ninth seed Diego Schwartzman was a 7-6(2) 6-3 first-round winner over Norway’s Casper Rudd while 11th seeded Russian Karen Khachanov topped Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik 6-4 6-4.

Bulgarian 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov disposed of Frenchman Ugo Humbert 6-3 6-4. — Reuters

Gift checks don’t expire, reminds DTI

There is no need to worry about gift checks, also known as gift certificates or gift cards, expiring over the lockdown, reminds the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Issuers are prohibited from placing an expiry date on a gift check and imposing an expiry date on its stored value. However, this does not apply to coupons or vouchers and gift checks issued under loyalty, rewards, and promotional programs.

“For example, I go to the department store and they have a sales promotion where I can get a gift check for a minimum purchase of P5,000. That gift check can have an expiry date,” said Marilen D. Montañez, an officer from the DTI-Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau, in a recent webinar.

Neither is there a need for a consumer to use up the entire amount of a gift check in a single transaction since the issuer is prohibited from compelling them to do so. A gift check may be used in multiple transactions until its value is consumed.

The DTI recommends that issuers should have a mechanism for monitoring unused value. “We see department stores using the barcode, or there are codes on the gift checks… There are also some who can print the balance of the gift check for the information of consumers,” said Ms. Montañez. 

Issuers are not allowed to charge consumers for the changing, upgrading, or updating of gift checks. According to Ms. Montañez, this is often done by issuers who want to avoid counterfeiting through the improvement of security features.

To maximize their gift checks, consumers are advised to read their terms and conditions. For instance, the words “loyalty” or “reward” and DTI sales promo permit number must be indicated at the lower right corner of the card, paper, or device. The promo expiry date must also be found in the same area.

Consumers are encouraged to take care of their gift checks. Lost gift checks, or gift checks whose damage prevents the identification of their security and authenticity features, may no longer be honored by the issuer. — Mariel Alison L. Aguinaldo

Johnson in command and looking to close deal at Northern Trust

DUSTIN JOHNSON continued his red hot play at Northern Trust Open on Saturday curling in a 40-foot eagle putt on 18 to give him a five shot cushion going into the final round of the FedExCup playoffs opener.

Johnson’s third round seven-under 64 while impressive was almost greeted with a yawn after the sensational 11-under 60 the big-hitting American carded on Friday that shot him to the top of the leaderboard where he has remained.

Sitting five back are Harris English after returning a 66 for the second straight day and Scottie Scheffler, who returned a 67 a day after shooting a 59, just the 12th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history.

It was another cool, confident display from Johnson at the TPC Boston piling up five birdies before dropping his first shot in two days with a bogey at the 13th.

But Johnson would close in style with a birdie at 17 and an eagle at 18.

It will mark the second time in as many tournaments Johnson has held the 54th lead but will be looking for a different result after failing to close the deal at the PGA Championships.

Certainly Johnson will not be under as much pressure as he was at Harding Park where he started the final round with a one shot advantage, but he knows he cannot be complacent on layout where low scores are there for the taking.

“Obviously I’m in a great position and like where I’m at, but I’m still going to have to go out and shoot a good score,” Johnson told reporters. “You can go low out here and guys are going low every day, especially with the conditions we have.”

This week’s tournament, open to the top 125 golfers in the season-long points standings, is the first of three playoff events that culminate with the Sept. 4-7 Tour Championship in Atlanta and the $15 million prize to the FedExCup champion.

Only the top 70 in the standings after this week go on to the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields outside Chicago, and from there the top 30 move on to Atlanta.

There was no moving day charge from Tiger Woods, who plodded his way to a two-over 73.

Woods got his day off to a positive start with a birdie at the second and ended on an upbeat note with another at 18 but in-between the 15-time major winner collected five bogeys to leave him just three strokes off the bottom of the leaderboard.

It was an equally disappointing outing for Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irishman taking a pair of triple bogeys on his outward nine on way to a three-over 73.

The defending FedEx Cup champion opened his round with a birdie but gave that back and more when his third shot at the second, a chip from just off the green, ricocheted off a rock into the water hazard on way to an eight. — Reuters

NZ prime minister extends Auckland lockdown

NEW ZEALAND Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said largest city Auckland will stay in lockdown four days longer than initially planned to ensure a community outbreak of coronavirus disease 2010 (COVID-19) is under control.

Auckland will exit lockdown at midnight on Aug. 30 rather than on Aug. 26, Ms. Ardern told reporters in Wellington on Monday. “These extra four days are believed necessary to allow us to move down a level in Auckland, and stay down,” she said, referring to New Zealand’s COVID alert level system.

Auckland contributes more than a third of New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) and is home to 1.6 million people. The city was put into level 3 lockdown on Aug. 12 when four cases were discovered, ending the nation’s 102-day run of being COVID-free, while the rest of the country was placed into level 2, requiring social distancing restrictions to be reimposed.

Ms. Ardern said Auckland will shift to level 2 on Aug. 31, allowing schools, hospitality, retail and other entities to reopen, though most gatherings will remain limited to no more than 10 people. The remainder of New Zealand will stay at level 2, with a further review of all settings to be made by Sept. 6, Ms. Ardern said.

In addition, the government will mandate face coverings on public transport including taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber at level 2 or higher. The new regulation is effective from Aug. 31.

The Auckland cluster has increased to 101 cases and the original source remains a mystery.

“This is a contained cluster, but it is our biggest one,” Ms. Ardern said. “That means the tail will be long, and the cases will keep coming for a while to come. But we can manage that. What we need to do though, is put ourselves in the best long-term position to manage it successfully, and in the most contained way we can.”

New Zealand became the envy of the world earlier this year when it succeeded in eliminating community transmission of the coronavirus by imposing a strict nationwide lockdown. The restrictions were lifted after only seven weeks, encouraging a bounce in confidence and spending. While the Auckland lockdown may dent the economic recovery, Ms. Ardern said that was preferable to allowing the virus to get out of hand.

“We’ve made a decision around a four-day increase versus the potential that you come out prematurely without the full confidence that we have the cluster and the full perimeter of that cluster well understood,” Ms. Ardern said. “You then run the risk of going into another transmission cycle. The idea of yo-yo-ing is very, very unsettling for an economy and comes with a high price.”

Economists at Westpac Banking Corp. have estimated the Auckland lockdown reduces GDP by about NZ$300 million ($196 million) a week, while noting there is scope for some of that to be clawed back when the restrictions are lifted.

Last week, the government extended a nationwide wage subsidy to businesses hit by the fresh outbreak, saying that would protect the jobs of about 930,000 workers. The scheme is in place for the duration of the Auckland lockdown. — Bloomberg

Hospital visit stokes worries as Japan’s Abe sets tenure record

TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited a Tokyo hospital on Monday for a second time within days, stoking concern about his ability to stay on as leader due to health issues and fatigue from tackling the coronavirus pandemic.

The visit came as Japan’s longest-serving prime minister surpassed a record for longest consecutive tenure as premier set by his great-uncle Eisaku Sato half a century ago, adding to speculation Mr. Abe could resign after reaching the milestone.

Mr. Abe, criticized for his handling of the virus outbreak and several scandals, has suffered a slide in voter support to one of the lowest levels since returning to office for a second term in 2012 with promises to revive the economy and bolster defense.

Government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said Mr. Abe was at the hospital for the follow-up to a medical check a week ago when his examination lasted 7-1/2 hours, fueling worries about his health.

But major broadcaster Nippon TV said Mr. Abe was being treated for a chronic illness rather than a checkup, citing multiple unidentified government and ruling party sources. It added that Mr. Abe was scheduled to go to his office in the afternoon.

“I was informed that he’s getting an additional exam after last week’s exam,” Mr. Suga, who is also the chief cabinet secretary and is seen as one of the main contenders for Mr. Abe’s job, told a regular news conference.

“The premier himself said the other day that he wanted to return to work.”

Mr. Abe has been prime minister since 2012 in his second stint after a troubled term in which he resigned abruptly in 2007, because of struggles with ulcerative colitis, a disease he now keeps in check with medicine that was not previously available.

His office did not give a detailed explanation for the hospital visits, but close aide Health Minister Katsunobu Kato said last week’s visit was a regular checkup and he was “not at all” worried about Mr. Abe’s health.

Japanese media have speculated about his health this month, including detailed reports on his walking speed.

Weekly magazine Flash said Mr. Abe had vomited blood at his office on July 6. Reuters was unable to verify the widely cited report, which was denied by government officials.

Mr. Abe gets a regular checkup twice a year, with his most recent on June 13, Kyodo news agency said, adding that last week’s visit was a follow-up to a June checkup, citing a hospital source.

If Mr. Abe is incapacitated, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, 79, who doubles as finance minister, would take over temporarily as acting prime minister.

If Mr. Abe says he has decided to resign, he would stay on until formally replaced, which requires a ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) presidential election, followed by the winner’s formal election in parliament.

Mr. Abe’s tenure as LDP president, and thus, premier, ends in September 2021 unless he steps down earlier.

Those tipped as possible successors include Mr. Aso, former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba, ex-foreign minister Fumio Kishida, Mr. Suga, and Defense Minister Taro Kono.

All are veteran LDP lawmakers unlikely to make huge policy shifts, despite differing over details. — Reuters

Seoul mandates masks as coronavirus cases spike

SEOUL — South Korea’s capital on Monday ordered the wearing of masks in both indoor and outdoor public places for the first time, as it battles a surge in coronavirus cases centered in the densely populated metropolitan area.

In May, the city government ordered that masks be worn on public transport and in taxis, but a recent spike in cases has health officials worried that the country may need to impose its highest level of social distancing.

“If we fail to flatten the curve this week we believe we will be faced with a very important crisis, that the virus will spread to the entire nation,” health ministry official Yoon Tae-ho told a briefing.

The Korea Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported 266 new cases as of midnight on Sunday, down from 397 a day earlier but another in more than a week of triple-digit daily increases.

Overall, South Korea has reported 17,665 coronavirus cases and 309 deaths.

South Korea has been widely praised for its success in tackling the virus, with extensive testing and aggressive contact-tracing, but Mr. Yoon said health investigators had been unable to determine the transmission routes of about 20% of the recent cases, raising concerns over so-called silent spreaders.

He called on people to avoid leaving home and to cancel any unnecessary trips out.

The government has also extended second-tier social distancing rules, which had been in place in Seoul, to other areas of the country, banning in-person church meetings and closing nightclubs, buffets and cyber cafes.

Officials fear that South Korea is on the brink of a nationwide pandemic as the number of new cases is increasing in all of its 17 regions.

Health authorities say they are considering imposing the toughest stage 3 social distancing rules, under which schools and business are urged to close, if the spread of new cases cannot be slowed. — Reuters

Peso free to extend Asia’s biggest gain as Diokno stands aside

The Philippine peso advanced closer toward the psychologically significant level of 48 per dollar after Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin E. Diokno said the market was free to determine its level.

Asia’s best-performing currency this year advanced to as strong as 48.62 on Monday after Mr. Diokno told Bloomberg Television: “If that’s where the market is going, we can’t do anything about that at the moment.”

There are a number of benefits to having a strong currency, Mr. Diokno said. These include weaker inflationary pressure, lower foreign debt service costs, and the potential for beefing up international reserves.

The peso has strengthened more than 4% this year, helped by a weaker US dollar and a reduction in imports as the coronavirus pandemic saps demand in the Philippine economy. The currency was 0.1% stronger Monday.

“Expect the peso to advance towards 48 in the medium term,” said Qi Gao, a currency strategist at Scotiabank in Singapore. “While the central bank will step in to ensure orderly market conditions, it won’t go against the market.” — Bloomberg

SSS expands benefit, loan disbursement channels; urges qualified payees to enroll bank accounts at My.SSS

The Social Security System (SSS) strengthens its partnership with the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) to expand its benefit and short-term loan disbursement channels.

Through the said partnership, SSS-qualified employers, members, and pensioners may now receive benefits and short-term loan proceeds through the Philippine Electronic Fund Transfer System and Operations Network (PESONet) participating banks.

Qualified members and pensioners may now also receive SSS benefits through e-wallets such as PayMaya or cash pick-up arrangement via DBP Cash Padala Thru M Lhuillier, a Remittance Transfer Company/Cash Payout Outlet.

SSS President and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio said the enhanced disbursement process is already implemented for Unemployment, Funeral, Sickness, and Maternity Benefits, and Salary, Calamity, and Emergency loans, however, the said short-term loans might only be disbursed thru PESONet participating banks.

Starting in October 2020, monthly pensions will also be released through the said method.

“With our strengthened partnership with DBP on PESONet disbursements, we are hoping to expedite the releases of benefits and short-term loans. Upon its full implementation, eliminate disbursements via checks,” Ignacio said.

The SSS urges qualified payees and member-borrowers to enroll their disbursement accounts through the Bank Enrollment Module (BEM) found under the E-services tab of their respective My.SSS accounts on the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph).

Qualified payees and member-borrowers must select their preferred PESONet participating bank, e-wallet, or RTC/CPO and supply a valid and active bank account number, or mobile number for an e-wallet or RTC/CPO.

Bank account numbers must be entered as a continuous string of numbers, while mobile numbers must be in its 11-digit format that starts with 09. Qualified payees and member-borrowers are reminded to ensure the correctness of their disbursement account information in the BEM before enrolling them.

“We are continuously transforming our services into digital processes for our members and the public to transact with us without having to go to our branches. Aside from its convenience, this also serves as a safety measure given the current pandemic situation,” Ignacio said.

The SSS has also implemented the mandatory online submission via the My.SSS portal of Maternity Notification and Sickness Notification (for employers); and filing of applications for Unemployment Benefit, Funeral Benefit of SSS-member claimants, Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Claims of employers, Salary Loans, and Calamity Loans.

The online filing of Retirement Benefit applications through the said portal is also required for all members who are at least 65 years old, and for land-based OFWs and voluntary members who are 60 to 64 years old, upon the filing of retirement claim.
For further information, members and employers may call the SSS’ hotline at 1455 and follow the SSS Facebook page at Philippine Social Security System.

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