GSIS allocates P164M emergency loans for NegOr quake victims 

By Jennifer C. Tilos

DUMAGUETE CITY, Feb. 15 (PIA) – The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is allocating P164 million for emergency loans to government employees affected by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Negros Oriental the hardest.

GSIS Dumaguete City Branch Manager Cecile Tenaja said the new emergency loan (EML) offer is in response to the urgent needs of members in times of calamities and is part of its agency’s corporate social responsibility. 

“We requested for the reopening of the EML grant for qualified employees who have not yet availed of the previous emergency loan offer especially those coming from the quake-affected areas,” said Tenaja. 

Tenaja said this is an extension of the EML previously granted but was stopped on January 20due to typhoon Sendong. 

However, those who have already availed of the previous EML as Sendong victims may no longer be eligible to loan. 

The insurance agency, on the other hand, has already disbursed more than P220 million in emergency loans to 11,866 members in the province affected by Tropical Storm Sendong. 

Qualified members can avail of the P20,000 emergency loan from Feb. 8 to March 9 in any of the 11 GSIS kiosks deployed throughout Negros Oriental using either their Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card or temporary card. 

Tenaja said the interest rate for emergency loan is only six percent per annum payable in three years. 

There are still more than 8,000 GSIS members who have yet to avail of the EML as Tenaja called on them to avail of the new calamity loan offer. (FCR/JCT/PIA-NegOr)