GSIS grants P2-billion emergency loans for ‘Ondoy’ victims

MANILA, Philippines – Government employees affected by storm “Ondoy” have already been granted P2 billion worth of emergency loans by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

Out of 130,000 emergency loan applications, 103,000 or a total of P2 billion have already been processed as of Oct. 12, according to the state pension fund.

Last Oct. 1, GSIS started offering emergency loans to members working in calamity-declared areas.

Areas devastated by Ondoy include the whole of National Capital Region, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Tarlac, Bataan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur.

Affected GSIS members may apply for emergency loans using kiosks installed in GSIS offices, select government offices in the affected areas, and even in select SM malls, including SM Megamall, SM North EDSA, SM Fairview, SM Marikina, SM Taytay, SM Marilao, SM Pampanga, SM Las Piñas, and SM Sta. Rosa.

A kiosk was likewise placed in the office of the Philippine Information Agency in Visayas Avenue in Quezon City for this purpose.

The GSIS has allotted a budget of P5 billion in emergency loans to members adversely affected by Ondoy.

GSIS has also announced that members affected by typhoon “Pepeng” can also apply for the emergency loan, like those working in Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and Albay provinces.

The emergency loan worth P20,000 is available to eligible members working in areas placed by the National Disaster Coordinating Council under a state of calamity.

The GSIS emergency loan program is the most generous of its kind in the country, with an interest rate of eight percent per year and payable in equal monthly installments for a term of three years.

Qualified members have until Oct. 31 to submit their application for the emergency loan for both Ondoy and Pepeng victims.

To qualify for the emergency loan, the member-applicant must be:

• A bona fide employee of the government office within the declared calamity area;

• Be in active service and not on leave of absence without pay;

• Has no pending criminal or administrative charges;

• Has no arrears in the payment of mandatory social insurance contributions; and

• Has no loan that has been declared in default.

The agency where the member-applicant is employed must not be suspended due to non-payment and non-remittance of premiums and loans.

If the member-applicant still has an outstanding emergency loan, this will be deducted from the proceeds of the new loan.

Interest-free loans for OFWs

More interest-free loans await overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) whose families have been severely affected by Ondoy and Pepeng.

The Department of Labor and Employment offered yesterday P50,000 loans for OFWs and their families to have their typhoon-damaged vehicles repaired.

Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said DOLE has linked up with Philippine Postal Saving Bank to make available the interest-free loan with one-year term of payment.

“Since a significant number of OFWs have invested their hard-earned money in the local transport business, we are now extending this loan assistance for the repair of their typhoon-damaged vehicles,” he said.

The loan would be sourced from the P500-million fund previously released to the PPSB under President Arroyo’s micro-finance program, Roque said.

‘Send home OFWs’

Meanwhile, a group of OFWs again called on the government to immediately repatriate hundreds of Filipino workers stranded in various countries.

Members of Migrante International trooped to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to pressure the government to undertake the necessary repatriation.

Garry Martinez, Migrante chairman, said many Filipinos abroad, particularly in the Middle East, are seeking immediate repatriation after experiencing gross violations of their employment contracts, as well as maltreatment and abuse.

“Now that typhoons are continuously sowing fear and insecurity, OFWs and their families basically want one simple thing – to be united together in the hope of rebuilding what they’ve lost,” he said.

Millions in OWWA funds must be used for the swift repatriation of distressed OFWs, Martinez said. – Iris Gonzales, Mayen Jaymalin, Philippine Star