The semester of contingency refers to the two consecutive quarters in which the member’s sickness, maternity, disability, or death occurred. This six-month period is crucial because SSS excludes all contributions within this timeframe when determining eligibility and computing benefits. The purpose of excluding this period is to ensure benefits are based on contributions paid before the contingency happened.
For sickness and maternity benefits, the semester of contingency determines which 12 months will be reviewed for the qualifying contributions. A misunderstanding of this rule often leads members to assume that recent contributions count, when in fact contributions in the semester itself are not included.
Understanding the semester of contingency is essential because it influences whether the member has sufficient posted contributions and whether the system will count earlier months for eligibility. It is one of the most frequently misunderstood parts of SSS computation, yet one of the most important.
Hospital delivery in the Philippines can easily cost ₱60,000 - ₱200,000 depending on the hospital and type of delivery.
Many parents use a credit card to manage these expenses while waiting for their SSS maternity benefits.
