GMA lifts state of calamity over most of Philippines–Remonde

President Gloria Arroyo lifted the “state of calamity” imposed because of the menace of two destructive storms over the central and southern Philippines a week ago, an official said Saturday.

But Arroyo is maintaining the state of calamity over the main island of Luzon, which bore the brunt of tropical storm Ketsana (international name Ondoy) and Typhoon Parma (international name Pepeng) over the past two weeks, said Press Secretary Cerge Remonde.

The order effectively lifts price controls over the central islands of the Visayas and the southern island of Mindanao and their surroundings that were untouched by the storms, he added.

President Arroyo had earlier placed the capital and surrounding areas under a state of calamity on September 27 after Ondoy struck, bringing the worst flooding to the areas in four decades. She expanded this to the entire country on October 2 as Typhoon Pepeng approached the North.

“This decision is based on the obvious absence of bad weather in [central and southern] regions as well as the president’s determination that it is no longer necessary to maintain price ceilings nationwide,” Remonde said.

Under a state of calamity, government agencies are allowed to tap special funds and price controls can be imposed on essential items like food and medicine.

Manila had justified the declaration of a nationwide state of calamity as a way to ensure traders would not take their goods from areas covered by price controls to sell them elsewhere.

Remonde said that the state of calamity, including the price controls, would remain in place in Luzon at least until December.

More than 600 people were killed by the two storms that have devastated farmland, homes and factories in Manila and the northern regions.
GSIS offers moratorium

To help its members affected by Ondoy, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) announced also on Saturday that it would give borrowers of housing and consolidated loans the chance to hold off monthly payments for one year. According to a statement, the fund’s board of trustees passed a resolution approving the one-year moratorium.

The statement said the state-run pension fund would finalize the mechanism for the implementation of the moratorium and would make the necessary announcements as soon as the GSIS was ready to begin this program.

The statement added that the repayment deferral program would benefit borrowers whose accounts were not in default. And during the implementation of the moratorium, the sending of collection notices will be suspended.

Ayala offers grace period

Ayala Life Assurance Inc. extended the grace period for payments of policies to policyholders living in calamity areas, Maria Asuncion Martin said in a statement. Business Director Martin is the officer in charge of Ayala Life.

The extension granted was for an additional 30 calendar days, making up a total of 61 calendar days grace period covering due dates from August 26, 2009 to October 26, 2009, the statement added. All payments remitted within 61 calendar days from due date of the premium or loan interest shall be accepted without interest.

The places that Ayala Life said were recognized as calamity areas were Metro Manila and the provinces of Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Quezon, Isabela, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Laguna, Batangas, Cavite, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Camarines Norte and Bataan. –AFP With Report From The Manila Times