Uplift: SSS sets Aug. 11 deadline for failed P2,000 aid crediting

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Social Security System (SSS) members whose July P2,000 Uplift aid failed to reach their disbursement accounts have until Tuesday, August 11, to update or re-enroll their accounts, the agency said.

Sherwin Dan Solibaga II, senior communications analyst of the SSS Visayas Central 1 Division, said 132,496 members nationwide encountered unsuccessful crediting after the first batch of Uplift aid for low-income SSS members was released in July.

The affected members received notifications through their My.SSS accounts and must update or enroll a valid disbursement account through the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM) by August 11.

SSS said it will review and approve the newly enrolled or updated accounts on August 12 before submitting the file to Land Bank of the Philippines for re-crediting.

The reminder applies specifically to Group 3 of the Uplift program, which covers 1.5 million low-income SSS members nationwide.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has divided the Uplift assistance into three groups:

• Group 1 covers 4Ps and Walang Gutom Program beneficiaries.
• Group 2 covers poor and near-poor households identified through the 2024 Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS).
• Group 3 covers low-income SSS members.

Who qualifies under Uplift Group 3?

According to SSS, Group 3 beneficiaries must meet four requirements:

• They must have an employer or currently work as employed members.
• Their monthly income must not exceed P20,000.
• They must have at least one SSS contribution in 2025 or 2026.
• They must have an active disbursement account enrolled in DAEM as of April 30, 2026.

The SSS list used for the program came from its membership records, which the agency forwarded to DSWD.

DSWD then cross-matched the list with the 2024 CBMS data of the Philippine Statistics Authority before returning the matched records to SSS for validation and finalization.

DSWD earlier said the 1.5 million low-income SSS members under Group 3 would receive P2,000 monthly from July to December 2026 through their registered disbursement accounts.

SSS Acting Head for the Visayas Central 1 Division Eric Coronado said the agency has not yet received the regional breakdown of Group 3 beneficiaries, as the available figures remain national.

As of the July payout, however, about 978,000 of the 1.5 million Group 3 beneficiaries had received the assistance nationwide, based on data reported by DSWD.

What is DAEM?

DAEM stands for Disbursement Account Enrollment Module, an SSS online facility that allows members to register accounts where SSS benefits and loan proceeds can be credited.

SSS introduced the system as part of its shift toward cashless transactions. Members can enroll their disbursement accounts through their My.SSS accounts instead of receiving proceeds through checks.

The SSS website also requires members to use an approved disbursement account for various benefit payments, including retirement, unemployment and funeral benefits.

For DAEM enrollment, SSS said members need an active single savings account and must upload proof of the account, such as a validated deposit slip or ATM showing the bank name, account number, and account name.

They must also upload a valid identification card and a selfie showing themselves holding the ID and proof of account.

What if the July Uplift payment failed?

Members who received a My.SSS notification saying their July Uplift assistance returned because of unsuccessful crediting must act on or before August 11.

The notification identifies the failed transaction and the reason for the unsuccessful crediting, such as an invalid account number.

The member must then access the DAEM under the Services tab of the My.SSS Portal and either re-enroll the existing disbursement account or register another eligible account.

SSS said members do not need to visit an SSS office to complete the process.

Solibaga urged affected members to carefully follow the requirements, particularly the selfie requirement.

“Ayaw i-crop ang selfie. Dapat makita nga kayo mismo ang nag-gunit sa inyong ID ug proof of account. So, kinahanglan makita pod ang elbows,” Solibaga said. (Do not crop the selfie. It must show that you are the one holding your ID and proof of account. Your elbows must also be visible.)

SSS said it will review the updated DAEM records on August 12 before forwarding the approved accounts to Land Bank for re-crediting.

What if I did not enroll in DAEM by April 30?

Members who enrolled in DAEM only after the April 30 cutoff do not automatically qualify for the current Group 3 Uplift payout.

Coronado said the SSS beneficiary list submitted to DSWD used records as of April 30, 2026.

However, SSS continues to encourage all active members to enroll a disbursement account in My.SSS, even if they did not qualify for the current assistance.

The account can also receive future SSS benefit or loan proceeds, and SSS officials said maintaining an enrolled account could help members if the government launches similar assistance programs.

Why did some qualified members not make the list?

Meeting the four SSS criteria does not necessarily guarantee inclusion in the Group 3 list.

SSS officials explained that the 2024 CBMS operates at the household level, while SSS membership records identify individual members.

This means a member who meets all four SSS requirements may still not qualify for Group 3 if another member of the same household already qualified under another Uplift group.

For households with several SSS members who all meet the requirements, only one member may receive the Group 3 assistance. SSS said the oldest qualified SSS member in the household gets the benefit.

SSS emphasized that it serves only as an implementing partner in the program and follows the eligibility criteria set by the national government.

What counts as “employed”?

SSS clarified that the Group 3 requirement covers members who currently work under an employer.

Self-employed SSS members, such as individuals running their own small businesses, online sellers, or other livelihood activities without an employee, fall under a different SSS membership classification.

Coronado said self-employed workers may still register as self-employed SSS members under the agency’s coverage, but the Group 3 Uplift criteria specifically refer to employed members.

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