GSIS Allocates P1.9 Billion in Emergency Loans for Monsoon and Storm Victims

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has earmarked an extra P1.9 billion in emergency loan assistance for more than 71,000 active members and pensioners impacted by the southwest monsoon (habagat), the intertropical convergence zone, and tropical storms Crising, Dante, and Emong.

Juliet Bautista, GSIS officer-in-charge, president, and general manager, announced that the agency has eased loan application procedures to expedite relief. She stated that loans will be disbursed once the local sanggunian declares a state of calamity, following recommendations from respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils.

The deadlines for loan applications vary by location: October 5 for Quintin, Pangasinan; October 7 for Sultan Kudarat; October 10 for Atok, Benguet; October 27 for Parañaque City; and October 29 for Taguig City. Bautista emphasized the convenience and security of the application process, with 99.79% of submissions completed online via the GSIS Touch mobile application.

Eligible applicants include active GSIS members working or residing in the affected areas who meet the following conditions: no outstanding demandable GSIS loans, no unpaid leave status, premium payments within the last six months, no pending administrative or criminal cases, and a net monthly take-home pay of at least P5,000 after deductions. Meanwhile, pensioners due to old age or disability qualify if they maintain at least 25% of their monthly pension after loan deductions.

Qualified borrowers can access emergency loans up to P20,000, or as much as P40,000 for those with an active emergency loan.