Lawmakers ask 1-year moratorium on loan payments

Monday, January 30, 2012

REPRESENTATIVES Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan de oro) and Maximo Rodriguez (Abante Mindanao) are urging government agencies to grant a moratorium on loan payments and contributions of its members who were affected by Tropical Storm Sendong.

The two lawmakers are urging Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the Social Security System (SSS) and the Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-Ibig) to also approve the immediate release of loan applications of affected members in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities.

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Rufus said one way to accelerate the relief efforts for the affected residents is for the GSIS, SSS and Pag-Ibig to help them by granting a one year moratorium on the payment of loans, contributions and the immediate approval of loan applications.

“These acts would greatly help our brothers and sisters who were victimized by Sendong and who lost most, if not all, of their belongings and houses, even their loved ones,” he said.

Recently, SSS offered calamity loan packages to its members even for those who still have existing loans as long as they are residents of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities.

The agency also offered condonation to delinquent members for them to renew their loan.

Related to this, the City Council of Cagayan de Oro also approved an ordinance condoning all penalties for real property taxes from previous years until 2011.

However, the City Council said the condonation will come as long as residents pay all their delinquencies on or before April 30.

The ordinance was enacted in response to the proposal of Councilor Ramon Tabor that calamity victims would be given an amnesty from payment of real property taxes while they are still recovering from losses due the calamity.