LAS Pinas, the city where I reside, has not been in a state of a calamity since I moved from Quezon City more than 30 years ago.

Correct me if I’m wrong Director Red Garcia of the Las Pinas City Government, but I really could not recall our locality being in a pretty bad shape that it required emergency assistance from the national government.

I experienced brownouts and connectivity problems before but these were not prolonged unlike those in areas hit by huge disasters. Just like most of us, I’d probably go broke if my phone loses signal for a week.

The government of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is very sensitive to the needs of calamity victims. Thus, he wants relief and recovery efforts of the government to be immediate.

This rapid fashion to deliver help is very evident during the series of typhoons that ravaged many parts of the country late last year as various state agencies followed the President’s directive to unify government responses to calamities.

Meanwhile, a state agency has institutionalized the fast-paced method of helping calamity victims to conform with the Chief Executive’s standards.

Wasting no time, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has allocated close to P1.5 billion in emergency loans for 62,514 active members and pensioners residing or working in areas recently declared under a state of calamity.

In Negros Oriental, which was affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, and in Biliran, where the deterioration of Biliran Bridge disrupted connectivity to Leyte, the deadline is on March 12.

Applications from Carranglan and Licab in Nueva Ecija, which bore the brunt of Typhoon Kristine, will be accepted until March 13.

Residents of Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands in Surigao del Norte, where prolonged brownouts have caused major disruptions, may apply until March 18.

Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, which experienced torrential rains, has a deadline of March 19, while applications from Aborlan and Iwahig Penal Colony in Puerto Princesa, also affected by heavy rains, will be accepted until March 23.

Applying for the emergency loan is made easy through the GSIS Touch mobile app, which allows members and pensioners to file their applications anytime, anywhere, without the need for documentary requirements.

The app is available for download on Google Play and the Apple App Store.

Active members working or residing in the calamity-hit areas may qualify for the loan if they have no due and demandable GSIS loan, are not on unpaid leave, have paid premiums in the last six months before applying, have no pending administrative or criminal cases, and have a net monthly take-home pay of at least P5,000 after deductions.

Members with an existing emergency loan may borrow up to P40,000 to settle their previous balance and receive a maximum net amount of P20,000, while those without an existing emergency loan may apply for P20,000.

Old-age and disability pensioners residing in the affected areas may also apply for a P20,000 emergency loan, provided their net basic monthly pension remains at least 25% after loan deductions.

Loan proceeds will be electronically credited to the borrower’s eCard or UMID card.

The loan carries a 6% interest rate, requires no service fee, and has a repayment period of three years. It includes a redemption insurance feature that ensures the outstanding balance will be fully paid in case of the borrower’s death, as long as payments are up to date.

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AUTHOR PROFILE

Mario Fetalino Jr.