The Social Security System (SSS) is offering calamity loans to its members in areas affected by recent typhoons Kristine, Marce, Nika, Ofel, and Pepito. Members may avail themselves of the calamity loan until December 19, 2024.
SSS Officer-in-Charge Voltaire P. Agas stated that eligible members can avail of a calamity loan equivalent to their one-month salary credit, or up to P20,000.
“Our country was battered by multiple tropical cyclones in less than a month, making life extremely difficult for our kababayans in devastated areas. SSS wants to extend a lending hand to them through this financial assistance to help them rebuild their lives and get back to normal,” he said.
He emphasized that members in the areas declared under a state of calamity by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) can also avail of the calamity loan.
Areas under state of calamity
Areas placed under a state of calamity due to Typhoon Kristine were Dagupan, Bani, and Anda in Pangasinan; Ilagan and Roxas in Isabela; Provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, and Quezon; Cardona and Binangonan, Rizal; Puerto Galera, Naujan, Victoria, Pola, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Mansalay, Bulalacao (San Pedro) in Oriental Mindoro; Paluan and Looc in Occidental Mindoro; Provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, and Sorsogon; Naga City; Cataingan and San Fernando in Masbate; Calbayog, Samar; Jipapad, Arteche, San Policarpio, Oras, Masilog, Dolores, Can-avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Borongan, and Mayodolong in Eastern Samar; Magnet, Cotabato; Alfonso Lista (Potia), Ifugao; and Quezon City in National Capital Region (NCR).
Meanwhile, Quirino and Mountain Province; Santiago and Cabagan in Isabela; Baggao, Cagayan; Dilasag, Aurora; and Aguinaldo, Ifugao were declared under a state of calamity due to Typhoons Nika, Ofel, and Pepito.
Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte; including Buguey, Gonzaga, Sanchez-Mira, Aparri, and Claveria in Cagayan were also included in the list of calamity-declared areas due to Typhoon Marce.
Who can qualify for the calamity loan?
Moreover, members in other areas that may soon be declared under a state of calamity due to Typhoons Kristine, Marce, Nika, Ofel, and Pepito can also avail of financial assistance.
To qualify, tropical cyclone-affected members must:
- Have at least 36 monthly contributions, six of which must be posted within the last 12 months before the month of filing of application;
- Have at least six posted monthly contributions under the current membership type before the month of loan application for individually paying members such as self-employed, voluntary, and land-based Overseas Filipino Worker members;
- Be living or residing in the declared calamity area;
- Have no final benefit claim such as permanent total disability or retirement;
- Have no past due SSS Short-Term Member Loans;
- Have no outstanding restructured loan or calamity loan; and
- Must be certified by the employer through online (My.SSS facility) the loan application, if employed.
Salary loan as an alternative option
Agas noted that tropical cyclone-affected members may also opt to avail of the SSS salary loan.
“They must be under 65 years of age at the time of loan application and have not received any final benefit like total disability, retirement, or death benefits to qualify for the salary loan,” he explained.
Aside from the age requirement, he added that applicants should have at least 36 monthly contributions to get a loan of up to P20,000 or 72 monthly contributions to qualify for a loan of up to P40,000.
“Six of these contributions must have been paid in the last 12 months before the month of the loan application and must be under their current membership type.”
How to apply through the My.SSS Portal
Members can submit their calamity and salary loan applications online using their My.SSS account via www.sss.gov.ph.
“Once approved, the loan proceeds will be credited to the member’s registered Unified Multi-Purpose Identification (UMID)-ATM Card or their active accounts with a Philippine Electronic Fund Transfer System and Operations Network (PESONet) participating bank,” Agas said.
He reiterated that members can pay the calamity and salary loans in installments for 24 months or two years with a low annual interest rate of 10% based on the members’ diminishing balance.
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