The state-owned Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has extended the filing of applications under its COVID-19 emergency loan program until August 12.
In a statement released July 12, the GSIS said it has given its members, old age, and disability pensioners more time to apply for loans which could help them during the pandemic.
GSIS president and general manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said the GSIS is reaching out with much-needed help to over 1.3 million members who are qualified to apply and avail.
“We are extending the July 12 deadline to give more time for our members and old-age and disability pensioners affected by the public health crisis to apply for the loan. We are expecting to reach out to more than 1.3 million members who are qualified for the loan with a projected total amount of P43 billion,” Macasaet was quoted in saying.
The loanable amount has been increased from P20,000 to P40,000 for borrowers who have existing loans and relaxing the terms by allowing borrowers to renew their loans even if they have loan accounts that have not been paid for more than six months and are considered due and dependable, the statement said.
The statement further claimed that the emergency loan is payable in three years with an interest of only six percent. The relaxed eligibility requirements and the increased loanable amount will be implemented for the duration of the crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Macaset added that GSIS eased the six-month paid premium rule and reduced it to only three months for members to qualify for emergency loans.
The GSIS said it has imposed three requirements under the enhanced terms of the emergency loan. The borrowers must be in active service and not on leave of absence without pay; have no pending administrative case and/or criminal charge, and have a net take-home pay of not lower than P5,000 after all required monthly obligations have been deducted.
Old age and disability pensioners are qualified to apply if their resulting net monthly take-home pension after loan availment is at least 25 percent of their basic monthly pension. They may only apply online by using the designated email addresses of the branch offices covering their places of residence.
Macasaet stressed that the loan application of members will still be subject to the approval of the Authorized Agency Officer of the government agencies where members work.
Members and pensioners may submit their application through the designated email addresses of the branch offices covering the agencies of active members and place of residence of pensioners.
The COVID-19 Emergency Loan application form may be downloaded from https://www.gsis.gov.ph/downloadable-forms.
Members may also apply for the loan through the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosks located in all GSIS branches, DepEd offices, provincial capitols, city halls, Robinson’s Malls, and SM Supermalls. Once the loan is approved, the proceeds will be directly credited to the Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) card or temporary eCard account of the borrower.
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