GSIS and SSS to Give Calamity Loans for Abra Earthquake Victims

The Social Security System (SSS) mentioned that it will set in motion its calamity assistance package for its pensioners and members in Abra province and other areas in the North. Target is for the victims of the recent 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

“The calamity assistance package will consist of the calamity loan assistance program and the three-month advance pension for pensioners,” says SSS President and Chief Executive Michael Regino.

The government pension fund did not indicate the total amount it had allocated for the calamity assistance available for areas under a state of calamity. With the damage caused by the earthquake, Abra was placed in a state of calamity.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and General Manager Wick Veloso stated that Abra’s 5,733 members and 2,593 pensioners can avail of emergency loans. The government agencies have yet to release details of the loan program and application process.

In a memo issued by Deputy Commissioner Edward James Dy Buco, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) was ordered to direct the 17 ports to “identify and inventory items such as clothing, canned goods, medicines, etc., that may be donated to the earthquake victims,”

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) stated that the Japanese government plans to give 100 camping tents, eight generators, 100 rolls of plastic sheets, 16 conversion plugs, and 100 pieces of portable jerry cans and water containers to earthquake victims in the Philippines.

“Kasama ninyo kami. Our thoughts are with those who suffered from this disaster. Acknowledging these are challenging times, we sincerely reaffirm our support to Filipino friends. We have already decided to provide our disaster relief supplies and the Japanese experts already in the Philippines are willing to share their knowledge and experience with frontline government agencies involved in disaster management and recovery,” says Takema Sakamoto, JICA Philippines Chief Representative.

Source: Inquirer