FAQs
STEP 1
Create an account in the SSERB Portal and accomplish the SSERB Application Form and Protocol Assessment Form. Wait for the confirmation of the review type and research category.
STEP 2
Pay a non-refundable application fee which is equivalent to the Basic Review Fee of the research category. This will be deducted from the total fee for ethics review. The full amount must be paid before the release of the final assessment results.
Applicants may settle the fee via online bank transfer, or through the PSSC Payment Center. An official receipt will be issued to the applicant.
PSSC details:
- Bank: Land Bank of the Philippines (Diliman Branch)
- Acct. name: Philippine Social Science Council Inc. (do not abbreviate)
- Account number: 4822-1107-09
STEP 3
Wait for the decision letter which may either contain comments and proposed revisions, or approval. After the approval of a protocol, applicants must submit some post-review requirements, depending on the outcome of their studies (i.e. Final Report, Amendment, Continuing Review, or Early Study Termination Forms).
Access the SSERB Manual of Policies and Standard Operating Procedures here: SSERB MPSOP 2020.
Check this step-by-step guide or email us at sserb@pssc.org.ph. SSERB Portal Guide for Applicants_June 2021
Basic Review
Basic Review is carried out for protocols that involve an absence of, or low risk to human participants.
Standard turnaround time: 14 working days
Full Review
Full review is conducted when the research concerns sensitive and confidential information and may bring about potential physical, psychological and social harm to its participants. It is required when research exposes human participants to medium and high risk, and when the protocol involves vulnerable sectors, groups or populations.
Standard turnaround time: 21 working days
Standard turnaround time is counted from the day of submission of complete requirements including payment up to the day the first decision letter is released. Decision letters may contain approval or comments to improve the research.
All requirements and forms must be submitted online, with one set of hard copy submitted to the SSERB Research Ethics Officer at the PSSC office. However, submission of physical copies is temporarily suspended due to the pandemic.
No, SSERB only reviews social science research protocols that are not yet implemented or not yet at the data-gathering stage.
Send your username and email to sserb@pssc.org.ph so we can manually send your password.
This should attest that the college/institution/organization (1) reviewed the study for scientific soundness and (2) is endorsing the same to PSSC-SSERB for ethics review.
The information regarding funding and declaration of potential conflict of interest may be in the form of a signed letter addressed to Dr. Lourdes M. Portus, SSERB Chair and PSSC Executive Director.
Examples of COI are:
▪ The researcher or a family member, friend or subordinate will be included as participants.
▪ The researcher will benefit directly or indirectly in the conduct of the research project.
▪ The researcher’s personal biases may interfere with his/her impartial judgment.
Note that we recognize that the potential for COI will always exist; however, there is faith that the researchers will disclose them and manage these conflict issues in a way that the ultimate outcome of the protection of human participants remains.
Not yet but PSSC-SSERB has an ongoing application for Level 1 accreditation with the Philippine Health Research Ethics Board. Applicants are advised to consult their institutions, funders or prospective publishers about their specific requirements for an ethics board/committee. Check out PHREB’s accredited ethics committees here.