GSIS, SSS offer calamity assistance to Taal victims

Members and pensioners of the Government Service Insurance Service (GSIS) in the two provinces affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano last week can avail themselves of emergency loans within a one-month granting period.

On its website, the state-run pension fund GSIS said its members living or working in Batangas and Cavite provinces as well as old-age and disability pensioners residing in these two provinces are eligible for the emergency loans being made available in areas declared under a state of calamity.In Batangas, the granting period is from Jan. 18 to Feb. 17 while in Cavite, applications for emergency loan will be from Jan. 21 to Feb. 20.

Aside from the provinces affected by Taal Volcano’s eruption, the GSIS also opened emergency loan applications in areas devastated by Typhoon “Tisoy” last month: Masbate province (granting period on Jan. 17-Feb. 16); the provinces of Occidental Mindoro, Romblon and Sorsogon as well as the municipality of San Francisco in Quezon province (Jan. 16-Feb. 15); and the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur (including Naga City) and Marinduque as well as the towns of Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro, Famy in Laguna and Santa Maria in Romblon (Dec. 27 last year to Jan. 26).

Separately, the state-run Social Security System (SSS) said in Circular No. 2020-002 issued last Jan. 17 that its policy-making Social Security Commission also approved assistance to members and pensioners affected by Taal Volcano’s eruption.

So far, the SSS circular only covered the province of Batangas.The types of assistance that may be availed of by GSIS members and pensioners include the calamity loan assistance program for member-borrowers living in the area placed under a state of calamity and who suffered losses or damage to their properties there; three-month advance pension among both employees’ compensation and social security pensioners residing in the affected area as well as a six-month moratorium on the monthly amortization and interest payments for the direct house repair and improvement loan.Affected members and pensioners can apply for the calamity loan assistance program and the advance pension, respectively, from Jan. 22 to April 21, while the direct house repair and improvement loan will be available for one year or until Jan. 16 next year. INQ