SSS widens reach of Bohol satellite offices


As part of ongoing efforts to help members affected by the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Central Visayas, the Social Security System (SSS) opened temporary satellite offices at the towns of Tubigon and Carmen, two of the hardest-hit areas in Bohol province.
SSS Officer-in-Charge Edgar Solilapsi said the new temporary satellite offices are vital additions to the agency's network of offices in the province, which at present also includes the SSS Tagbilaran Branch and SSS Service Offices at the municipal halls of Ubay and Talibon.
“These temporary satellite offices shall operate until April 30, 2014, or until such time that their services are no longer needed as Bohol fully recovers from the disaster,” Solilapsi said. “In the meantime, we will continue to identify other locations for similar offices to make SSS services more accessible to members, especially during this time of need.”
The pension fund is anticipating the surge in applications for the SSS Calamity Relief Package for the earthquake-hit provinces of Bohol and Cebu. To further assist its affected members and pensioners, the SSS extended the initial November 29, 2013 deadline of the relief package's special salary loan terms and the three-month advance pensions to April 30, 2014.
“The homes of Bohol and Cebu residents are among the valuable structures damaged by the recent earthquake, which was why the SSS eased down the terms of our House Repair and Improvement Loan Program as part of the Calamity Relief Package,” Solilapsi noted.
Under the relief package, the maximum annual interest rate of nine percent was fixed at six percent for home repairs of members residing in the declared calamity areas. The SSS also waived the regular processing fee of up to P3,000, and gave members one year to apply for the special home repair loan facility.
Solilapsi said the SSS has resumed full branch operations at SSS Tagbilaran and SSS Cebu last Monday, October 21, after both offices were assessed as “structurally safe” by building engineers. These two branches will also remain open every Saturday starting October 26, similar to the new schedule to be observed by all SSS branches nationwide.
“With the SSS Tagibilaran branch now fully operational, we closed down the temporary satellite offices at the Governor's Mansion and at the Agricultural Promotional Center, which are also in the same city, to prioritize the setting up of satellite offices in remote areas in Bohol,” he added.
The SSS has also ceased operations of its satellite offices in Gaisano Fiesta Mall in Tabunok, Talisay City; Gaisano Island Mall in Lapu-Lapu City; Talisay City Hall and the DTI-National Economic Research and Business Assistance Center that were opened last week on a temporary basis to ensure members' uninterrupted access to SSS services.
Apart from the SSS Cebu branch, members in the area can also transact with the SSS Service Office at the Robinsons Fuente Mall, which is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bohol-based SSS Service Offices in Ubay and Talibon accept members' queries and transactions on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

PCG: China’s bullying in West Philippine Sea undermines international law --- Ghio Ong - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — Letting China sustain its aggression in the West Philippine Sea would make other countries doubt the strength of international law currently being asserted by the Philippines, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said. “Allowing China to blatantly disregard the established rules-based order threatens the very foundation that we all depend on,” he wrote in a post on X last Tuesday. He added, “If we permit this, countries worldwide may forget why this order was created in the first place. Nations could begin to doubt the significance of adhering to international law if powerful bullies can easily violate it.” Tarriela also said defiance of other countries to a rules-based order would result in the prevalence of cruelty. He wrote, “This could lead us back to a time when might makes right, undermining the global structures that keep human greed, savagery and barbarism in check. Such a scenario would not only invite challenges from aggressive ...
Read more

China ships maintain presence in key West Philippine Sea areas --- Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star

STAR / Michael Varcas MANILA, Philippines — While Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) have decreased in number, they have maintained a presence in three key land features where naval and coast guard ships have intensified operations in the past seven days, according to the Philippine Navy. Latest monitoring by the Philippine Navy showed armed ships of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) maintaining a menacing presence around the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, Panatag Shoal and Escoda Shoal. According to the Philippine Navy, there are 17 Chinese military vessels and 28 China Coast Guard (CCG) boats spotted inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) between Sept. 23 and 30, or one vessel more than in the previous week Sept.17-23. Five of the warships were seen roaming around the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, along with 10 CCG vessels and 12 maritime militia vessels (MMVs). There are also two PLAN ships in Ayungin Shoal as well as 10 CCG boats and 12...
Read more

Social media seen as cause of rising intermarriages --- Helen Flores - The Philippine Star

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) sees social media as the main reason for the rising number of Filipinos marrying or becoming partners of foreign nationals. In 2022, the CFO recorded 6,854 marriages or partnerships with foreign nationals, a 40.1 percent increase from the 4,891 “intermarriages” recorded in 2021. “First of all, what we see in the increase in the marriage rate of Filipinos or Filipinos with foreign partners is because of social media, (that) is number one; matchings; letters, introduction of their friends,” CFO chairperson Romulo Arugay said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing yesterday. Arugay said the agency has been registering a high number of intermarriages since 2007, but the figures went down during the COVID-19 pandemic. From over 6,500 Filipinos who married foreign nationals, only 600 are men, he said. Most of them are married to Americans, Japanese, Germans, Canadians and Australians, Arugay said. Arugay warned Fi...
Read more