State pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will open its emergency loan program today, 5 August, for members and pensioners in Abra affected by the magnitude 7 earthquake that struck last July 27.
“We are encouraging our members and pensioners who have been affected by the earthquake to avail themselves of the GSIS emergency loan. Nandito po ang GSIS para tumulong,” GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said on Thursday.
The day after the earthquake, the pension fund announced that it was prepared to open the emergency loan facility to extend financial assistance to its members and pensioners in Northern Luzon. But Veloso said they had to wait for the declaration of the affected localities as calamity areas before they could formally open the loan program.
“The other provinces in North Luzon have yet to be declared as calamity areas, but GSIS is also ready to open the emergency loan program [in those areas] once the declaration has been done,” said Veloso.
Affected active GSIS members working or residing in Abra, as well as old-age and disability pensioners, may apply for the loan until September 4.
“Members and pensioners with existing emergency loan who would like to apply for the loan anew may borrow up to P40,000. The remaining balance will be deducted from their loan proceeds. Those without emergency loan may apply for a P20,000 loan. Pensioners may similarly borrow P20,000,” said Veloso.
The loan will be directly credited to the borrower’s UMID card or temporary eCard Plus account.
The GSIS has also deployed six portable GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosks to far-flung areas in the province to enable loan applicants to save time and money in applying for the loan.
For more details on the emergency loan program, visit the GSIS website (www.gsis.gov.ph) or Facebook page (@gsis.ph), email gsiscares@gsis.gov.ph or call the GSIS Contact Center at 8847-4747 (Metro Manila), 1-800-8-847-4747 (Globe and TM subscribers) and 1-800-10-847-4747 (Smart, Sun and Talk ‘N Text subscribers).