The Social Security System (SSS) said on Wednesday it would extend emergency loans to members affected by Typhoon Tino, which struck the Visayas and Mindanao and parts of Luzon earlier this week displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
The state-run pension fund said qualified members could apply for calamity loans of up to P20,000 pesos from Nov. 6, 2025 through Dec. 5, 2025, as residents begin recovery efforts.
“We understand how life-changing the devastation brought by Typhoon Tino is to workers and their families in Cebu,” SSS President Robert Joseph de Claro said in a statement. “Our priority is to provide immediate, accessible support to help them get back on their feet.”
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council declared all 53 cities and municipalities in Cebu under a state of calamity after Tropical Cyclone Tino hit the province on Nov. 4.
Government estimates show more than 700,000 people were affected, with over 400,000 displaced from their homes.
Authorities had evacuated more than 200,000 people ahead of the storm’s landfall.
LOAN TERMS
Under the Calamity Loan Program, eligible members can borrow at a 7% interest rate with a 24-month repayment period.
Applications must be submitted online through the SSS portal, with approved funds credited directly to borrowers’ bank accounts.
To qualify, members must have made at least 36 monthly contributions to the system, with six payments made in the 12 months prior to application.
Applicants must be under 65 years old with no outstanding loan defaults.
The SSS separately activated emergency loans for members affected by Tropical Storm Ramil in Roxas City and Sigma municipality in nearby Capiz province, with applications open from Nov. 5 to Dec. 4, 2025.
SSS handles disability and death benefits for private sector workers, and has 38.4 million members as of 2024.