The Social Security System (SSS) is reminding qualified members in areas under a state of calamity that its emergency loan program remains open for applications, SSS Vice President Carlo Villacorta said Thursday.
“Ipinapaalala lang namin sa ating mga kababayan na bukas pa rin ang ating emergency loan program na puwede pong [mag-apply ang] ating mga miyembro ng SSS,” Villacorta said in a Radyo Pilipinas interview.
The program offers loans of up to ₱20,000 at a reduced interest rate of 7 percent per annum, with a six-month repayment moratorium, meaning borrowers are not required to begin paying back the loan until half a year after it is released. To qualify, a member must have at least 18 monthly contributions and a valid Philippine home address on SSS records.
Applications are open until April 30, 2027, giving members in areas placed under a state of calamity – whether due to typhoons, flooding, or other disasters – an extended window to apply once their locality qualifies. The application period is not tied to a single calamity declaration but covers members nationwide who meet the eligibility requirements during the coverage window.
Members can apply online through their My.SSS account via the SSS website or the SSS mobile application. Loan proceeds are released through an active MySSS Card, a UMID ATM Pay Card, or a single active account in the member’s name at any PESONet-participating bank, allowing funds to reach borrowers without requiring an in-person branch visit.
Villacorta also confirmed that new SSS pensioners – those who began receiving pension payments in June, July, or August – will see their pension amounts increase starting September.
“Para po sa mga bagong pensioner ng SSS, yung mga nag-pension ng June, July, at August, tataas ang kanilang pension pagdating ng September,” he said.
The pension increase is part of the SSS pension reform program announced earlier this year. SSS has not disclosed specific figures for the September pension adjustment, and it remains unclear whether the increase will apply retroactively to pensioners’ earlier payments or only to disbursements from September onward.
