STATE pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) on Friday opened up its emergency loans program to some 7,000 registered pensioners in Abra following the recent magnitude 7 earthquake that rocked the province.
Preparations to roll out the loans were completed as early as July 28, but under guidelines, the GSIS was required to wait for a declaration of the affected areas as a calamity area before it is allowed to open the loan program.
Affected and active GSIS members working or residing in Abra, as well as senior citizens and disabled pensioners are allowed to avail of the emergency loans.
Members and pensioners with existing emergency loans and would like to apply for the loan anew may borrow up to P40,000. The remaining balance will be deducted from their loan proceeds.
Those without emergency loans may apply for a P20,000 loan. Pensioners may similarly borrow P20,000.
To facilitate the rollout of loans, the GSIS has deployed six portable processing kiosks to far-flung Abra areas.
