The Social Security System (SSS) has opened the application for calamity loan for its members affected by the recent tropical cyclones that hit the Philippines and the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu.
“Ang calamity loan program po ay na-activate na po natin today. Ang mga naapektuhang miyembro po ng bagyong Mirasol, Nando, at Opong, kasama na rin po yung mga naapektuhan ng lindol sa Cebu, makaka-apply na sila ng calamity loan simula ngayong araw,” said Carlo Villacorta, SSS spokesperson and vice president for public affairs and special events, in Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.
The SSS official said that those who are eligible for the loan are those who have made at least 36 contributions, wherein six of which should have been made in the past 12 months.
“Lahat ng miyembro ng SSS na nakapaghulog po ng 36 na contributions man lang, at anim po doon ay nasa loob ng nakaraang 12 buwan ay makaka-avail ng calamity loan, basta wala po silang outstanding past due na calamity or salary loan dati,” Villacorta explained.
Interested members must have a MySSS account to apply and a disbursement account where the calamity loan proceeds will be transferred, said Villacorta.
SSS said further that the loanable amount depends on the member’s contribution.
“Depende sa halaga ng kanilang buwanang contribution sa SSS. Ang maximum po ay P20,000 for the calamity loan program, and minimum ay P3,000. Kung tayo ang naghuhulog sa mas mataas ng bracket, mas mataas din po ang ating ma-apply na calamity loan,” said Villacorta, adding that the loan is payable up to two years with seven percent interest.
Up to 3,537,686 people or 936,566 families were affected by the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat, Tropical Cyclones Mirasol, Nando, and Opong, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said as of September 30.
Meanwhile, the earthquake that struck northern Cebu on September 30, 2025 killed at least 73 people and injured at least 297.
(Original article written by Vince Angelo Ferreras, GMA Integrated News)
