CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--The Social Security System (SSS) Cagayan de Oro branch signed, February 10, a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Barangay 17 to establish an "SSS E-Center sa Barangay."

This is a digitalization project that makes it easier for members to use the online services that SSS offers through their own barangays.

Barangay 17 Chair Jerico Goldmar P. Ebabacol expressed his enthusiasm upon accepting the program in his barangay.

"Aside sa garbo sa barangay nga dinhi ang nahimong pilot, una nga gimugna, giabrihan sa dakbayan sa Cagayan de Oro ang ilang "E-Center sa Barangay" sa SSS. Prebilihiyo sa katawhan, especially ang Barangay 17 nga naa na gyud sa tugkaran, duol ug hassle free ang mahitabo nga programa. Tungod ani nga programa, pipila ka yangongo sa katawhan, mahatagan sa kahayag."

(Aside from being a source of pride for the barangay, this is the first pilot to be created and opened in the City of Cagayan de Oro, their "E-Center sa Barangay" of SSS. This is a privilege for the people, especially in Barangay 17, that the center is here, near, and hassle-free. Because of this program, a number of requests from the public will be granted)

Meanwhile, SSS Cagayan de Oro Branch Head Antonio G. Fabia shared that they are expanding and reaching out to barangays to bring their services closer to the people.

"Naa ta'y existing e-center sa atong office sa Carmen, 15 computer units. Atong na-notice nga gakapuno siya pirmi sa atong members nga gagamit unya kulang ang units. That is why we are expanding and reaching out to our barangays nga pwede kung mahimo maka-offer sila og at least isa ka computer with WiFi para ang mga constituents nila within the area pwede didto mu-transact or mu-log in sa e-center."

(We have an existing e-center in our office in Carmen with 15 computer units. We noticed that they are always full for the members, but we lack more units. That is why we are expanding and reaching out to our barangays to see if they can offer at least one computer with Wi-Fi so that their constituents within the area can transact there or login to the e-center)

At the barangay E-Center, SSS services include getting an SS number, registering online, finding out how much they've paid in, finding out how much they owe, enrolling in a bank (DAEM), filing claims for things like sickness, maternity, retirement, unemployment, and funerals, getting a PRN, applying for a salary/calamity loan, and enrolling in WISP PLUS.

"The city has 80 barangays, and we plan to replicate this E-center in all the other barangays, and we are also working with our neighboring municipalities in our area of jurisdiction," said Fabia.

Once the SSS E-Center barangay is setup, members do not need to personally transact in the SSS office; they can do so right at the barangay or in their own homes by accessing www.sss.gov.ph. (JMOR/PIA-10)