Filipino expatriates in Qatar who have overdue calamity and other short-term loans with Social Security System (SSS) can avail of the ‘Loan Restructuring Programme (LRP),’ the SSS office in Doha has announced.
SSS representative Michael Ingal told Gulf Times that the ongoing programme offers condonation of loan penalties to SSS members who failed to pay their loans for various reasons, especially those who left the Philippines to work in Qatar and may have overlooked their SSS bills.
“This is an opportunity for our compatriots to settle their past due loans without paying the incurred penalties,” he stressed, as he encouraged them to visit the Philippine Overseas Labour Office (POLO) for inquiries.
The LRP was also announced to members of the Filipino community through a circular sent by the Philippine embassy in Doha saying that programme covers “member-borrowers” with past due short-term loans living or working in calamity-stricken areas declared by the government.
These include: salary, emergency, educational, vocational tech, ‘Y2K’, investment incentive loans, and study now pay later plan. One-year availment period started on April 28 and will end by April 27, 2017.
As part of SSS’ 59th anniversary celebration, Ingal said they will put up a special lane at POLO for LRP applicants on all Fridays of September aimed at providing ease in availing the programme. SSS also has several accredited payment centres in Qatar.
In a press statement, SSS assistant vice-president for Member Loans Department Boobie Angela A Ocay said members can pay their overdue loans and interest in full or by instalment under LRP depending on their capacity.
“The LRP is in response to the widespread clamour from individuals and organisations to alleviate the burden of calamity-stricken workers, who face difficulties in paying their SSS loans after suffering from natural and manmade disasters that have devastated our country in recent years,” she noted.
According to the official, the programme will give ‘delinquent member-borrowers’ a chance to improve and “regain their good SSS standing and enjoy benefits and privileges in the future.”
Members will again be eligible to apply for a loan six months after finishing their existing loan payments and interest under the programme.
“Borrowers can only avail of the LRP once. They cannot participate in any future SSS condonation or restructuring programmes to instil credit discipline,” Ocay said.
The LRP covers calamity loan borrowers in the 1990s following the Mt Pinatubo eruption and 1990 earthquake. Also included are members with past due short term loans in declared calamity areas after the onslaught of tropical storms and typhoons Ondoy in 2009; Sendong in 2011; Pedring, Quiel and Pablo in 2012; Labuyo, Maring, Santi, Yolanda and Agaton in 2013; Glenda, Mario, Ruby and Seniang in 2014; Lando and Nona in 2015. The Zamboanga armed conflict and the Bohol-Cebu earthquake, which both occurred in 2013, are also included in the LRP.
Ocay said they expect to collect P5.1bn in overdue loan principal and interest from about half a million delinquent borrowers under the LRP.