SSS promises faster ID processing

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The Social Security System (SSS) said that the processing time of members’ identification cards has been cut down to 10 working days.

Eva J. Cura, SSS Iloilo Branch Head, said that 10-working day processing time starts from the date of application up to the date the Unified Multi-purpose Identification System (UMID) card package is released to the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) for delivery to the member's mailing address.

Cura said that UMID applications start with the data capture, or the enrollment of biometric information – such as fingerprints, photo and signature – and encoding of the applicant's name, address, parents' names and other demographic data.

To ensure that only one UMID card will be issued to an individual, the member's fingerprints are compared with other fingerprints in the database during the centralized biometric data matching process.

Applications with a fingerprint match are immediately investigated by SSS, while those passing the uniqueness check are assigned a Common Reference Number (CRN), and then sent for card printing and personalization of the contactless smartchip, which takes three working days.

To ensure good quality, each printed card undergoes visual inspection within one to two working days, depending on the volume of cards, and then forwarded for card packaging, a one-day process that also includes the readability check and data verification of the smartchip.

The SSS said that mailing can take seven to 10 working days for areas outside Metro Manila and even 10 to 20 working days for remote areas.

Cura said that SSS Iloilo is equipped with a data capturing machine which could accommodate a maximum of 100 persons in a day.

Members can check their UMID card status thru the SSS website (www.sss.gov.ph), email sss_id@sss.gov.ph, or call SSS Iloilo at 509-9826 or 338-1307.

Members claiming their UMID cards must present one primary ID or document such as government-issued IDs, birth or baptismal certificate, or company ID. Two secondary IDs and documents, one of which bearing the member's photo, can also be used in claiming the card. (PIA)

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