The Government Service Insurance System allotted almost P2 billion in emergency loans to members and pensioners in eight areas in the Visayas who were affected by Typhoon “Ursula.”
A total of 36,750 active members and old-age and disability pensioners in the provinces of Capiz, Western Samar and Biliran and municipality of Guiuan in Eastern Samar may apply for the loan until Feb. 19.
In the provinces of Leyte and Aklan as well as municipality of Daanbantayan and Sta. Fe in Cebu, the deadline for application for the 61,661 active members and old-age and disability pensioners is on Feb. 27.
With a loanable amount of P20,000, the loan is payable in 36 equal monthly installments at 6 percent interest rate computed in advance. It is covered by a loan redemption insurance which deems the loan fully paid in case of the borrower’s demise, provided that loan payment is up to date.
Active members may apply if they are working or residing in the calamity-declared areas; have updated premium payments within the last six months prior to application; have no unpaid loans for more than six months; are not on leave of absence without pay; have no pending administrative case or criminal charge; and have a minimum net take-home pay of P5,000 after deduction of the monthly premium contributions and loan amortizations.
Active old-age and disability pensioners in the calamity declared-areas may apply for an emergency loan if the resulting net monthly pension after loan availment is at least 25 percent of their basic monthly pension.
Members may apply through the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System kiosk or over the counter in any GSIS office. GWAPS kiosks are located in all GSIS branch and extension offices; provincial capitols; city halls; selected municipal offices; large government agencies such as the Department of Education; Robinsons Malls; and selected SM City branches in North EDSA, Manila, Pampanga, Cebu, SM Aura in Taguig, SM Southmall in Las Piñas, and Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
Pensioners have to apply for the loan over the counter. Pensioners who are also active members may apply for the loan only once.
Renewal before the full payment of a previous emergency loan shall be allowed only if the current emergency loan account is up-to-date. Upon renewal of the loan, the outstanding emergency loan balance of the previous loan including the penalties, if any, shall be deducted from the proceeds of the new loan.
Loan proceeds are electronically credited to the borrower’s GSIS electronic card (eCard) or unified multipurpose identification (UMID) card.
Interested parties who have inquiries may visit the GSIS website, www.gsis.gov.phwww.gsis.gov.ph, or Facebook account, @gsis.phgsis.ph; email [email protected]@gsis.gov.ph; or call the GSIS Contact Center at 8847-4747 if in Metro Manila or 1-800-8-847-4747 (for Globe and TM subscribers) or 1-800-10-847-4747 (for Smart, Sun, and Talk ’N Text subscribers).