SSS to issue revised Calamity Loan Program (CLP) guidelines – lowering interest rate to 7%, renewal allowed after 6 months, streamlined activation process for timely financial assistance

by Info @Brand Zone | July 23, 2025

The Social Security System (SSS) announced today that it will be issuing the revised Calamity Loan Program (CLP) guidelines aimed at helping members in areas declared under State of Calamity (SOC) due to various natural disasters, including Tropical Storm Crising which struck various parts of the Philippines with strong winds and rain showers.

Enhanced financial assistance – lower interest rate and renewal allowed after 6 months

“Following through on the announcement of His Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. last 1 May 2025 on the reduction of interest rates for salary and calamity loans, we proposed and obtained approval of the Social Security Commission, headed by our Chairperson Finance Secretary Ralph G. Recto, to reduce interest rates for calamity loans to 7% per annum from the current rate of 10%.  This follows the reduction of interest rate for salary loans to 8% per annum from the previous 10% which was implemented last month,” SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. De Claro said.

Such a reduced interest rate is for members with good credit records (i.e., for applicants without availment of penalty condonation for the past 5 years).    

To further enhance financial assistance to members, the revised guidelines have been liberalized to allow calamity loan renewal after six (6) months provided that the existing CLP is not past due.

Streamlined activation process for immediate financial assistance / relief

“An important improvement in the revised guidelines is the streamlining of the activation process of the Calamity Loan Program (CLP) which will allow activation of the program within seven (7) working days from the calamity event date.  Previously, activation of the calamity loan program takes about one month,” De Claro said.

“SSS Branch Operations Sector and International Operations Group units will have a more active role in the activation process when they endorse State of Calamity declarations to the SSS Member Loans Department within two (2) calendar days from date of issuance,” De Claro added.

Features of the revised Calamity Loan Program (CLP) guidelines

Loanable amount

Equivalent to one (1) Monthly Salary Credit (MSC) computed based on the average of the last 12 MSCs rounded up to the nearest thousand or the amount applied for, whichever is lower and capped at P20,000.

Availment period

Up to 30 calendar days to commence on the date of announcement of the availability of the CLP in a newspaper of wide circulation.

Eligibility requirements

Members must have at least 36 monthly contributions – 6 of which must be posted within the last 12 months prior to the month of filing. For individually paying members, they must also have at least 6 posted contributions under their current membership type (self-employed, voluntary, or land-based OFW).

Member must be registered in the SSS website (My.SSS facility) for filing of online application.

Member must have no past due loan accounts and no outstanding restructured loan.

Member must have not been granted any final benefit.

Member must be of legal age and under 65 years of age at the time of application for loan.

Member must have not been disqualified due to fraud committed against the SSS.

Employer of employed member must be updated in payment of contributions & loan remittances.

Filing of loan application

A member may file / submit the calamity loan application online through the SSS website by accessing his / her My.SSS account or through the SSS Mobile App.

Release of loan proceeds

Loan proceeds shall be released through active UMID ATM card or active single account in any PESONet participating bank in the name of the member which must be enrolled in the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM) of the member-borrower’s

My.SSS account.

Repayment term and schedule of payment

The loan shall be payable within two (2) years in 24 equal monthly amortizations.  The loan amortization shall start on second month following the month of approval of the loan.

Service fee

Service fee of 1% of loanable amount shall be charged and deducted from proceeds of the loan.

Penalty

Loan amortization not remitted on due date shall bear a penalty of 1% per month computed and charged for every day of delay.  If the loan remains unpaid after 24 months, 10% annual interest and 1% monthly penalty will apply until fully paid.

“With the issuance of the revised CLP guidelines, SSS will provide emergency financial relief to mitigate impact of natural disasters to members and help get them toward the path of recovery under liberalized terms and conditions,” De Claro said.

In 2024, the SSS disbursed nearly P10 billion in calamity loans to over 560,000 affected members. To further strengthen the CLP this year, the SSS is earmarking approximately P20 billion, underscoring its commitment to helping members recover financially from natural disasters.

SSS earns 6 Gold and 5 Silver ARTA Awards for efficient and transparent services

by Info @Brand Zone | Nov. 11, 2024

The Social Security System (SSS), particularly 11 of its branch offices, recently received multiple recognitions from the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) for outstanding commitment to provide efficient, transparent, and accessible services as well as deliver responsible governance.

Among the 860 government agencies evaluated for the 2023 Report Card Survey (RCS) 2.0 Batch 1 Cycle, SSS branches in Congressional, Pasay-CCP Complex, Sta. Cruz, Naga, Cebu-NRA, and Kalibo were given the prestigious ARTA RCS Gold Awards for achieving excellent ratings in a ceremony held on October 30, 2024, at Hotel Conrad Manila.

Meanwhile, presented with the ARTA RCS Silver Plaques of Recognition for obtaining very satisfactory ratings were the pension fund’s branches in Diliman, Navotas, Manila, Bacoor, and Tabaco.

SSS Officer-in-Charge and Executive Vice President for Branch Operations Sector Atty. Voltaire P. Agas expressed the institution’s deep gratitude for having received six gold and five silver awards from ARTA.

“We thank ARTA, led by Director General and Secretary Ernesto V. Perez, for acknowledging our efforts to promote ease of doing business and efficient service delivery. This recognition is a testament to our dedication to optimizing our processes and ensuring that we provide better services to all SSS stakeholders,” Agas said.

“These awards will certainly push us to always go above and beyond, and to work toward excellence. In addition, we plan to work on long-term solutions such as continuously digitizing our services to make it easier for our members to transact with us,” he added.

The RCS 2.0 is an important tool for evaluating the effectiveness of the Citizen's Charter in streamlining regulatory processes and improving government service delivery in accordance with Republic Act No. 11032, also known as the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018.

In 2023, the SSS garnered a satisfaction rating of 92.2% in ARTA’s Harmonized Client Satisfaction Measurement (HCSM) Survey, well above the passing rate of 80%. The HCSM Survey was conducted among members and employers who transacted with SSS either online or in-person at their branches in 2023.

SSS: Invitation to apply for eligibility and submit comparative proposal

by Info @Brand Zone | Oct. 1, 2024

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The Social Security System (SSS) today announced that its three service offices in Basilan, Jolo, and Tawi-Tawi can now better serve members by equipping it with a more efficient and faster satellite internet connectivity, particularly Starlink.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Rolando Ledesma Macasaet sealed a partnership with iOne Resources, Inc., Starlink’s local distributor, to provide high-speed internet connectivity to SSS service offices in remote areas.

Macasaet said that SSS initially procured Starlink satellite internet services initially to be implemented in 10 sites with iOne Resources, Inc. during a ceremonial turnover held at CityMall Tetuan in Zamboanga City.

“We purchased a three-year subscription for 10 sites to provide internet access to our services offices in areas with no available internet service providers or those with internet connectivity challenges,” Macasaet said.

Macasaet explained that three of the 10 identified sites have been deployed with the Starlink, namely: Basilan, Jolo, and Tawi-Tawi because internet connectivity is difficult in the islands.

He added that seven other sites will be installed with Starlink across the country in the upcoming days.

“Satellite internet technology is ideal for remote locations with a clear line of sight. It can deliver high internet speed from 100 to 200 Mbps with low latency of 25 to 60, ensuring swift data transfers in branch operations,” Macasaet added.

Moreover, Macasaet said that SSS plans to partner with other internet service providers in the country to help its branch and services offices overcome the challenges of internet connectivity, saying, “Internet access has become a necessity since most of SSS services are already available online.”

“With this project, SSS is looking forward to improving its IT infrastructure to boost its system’s uptime and provide more reliable online services to our members, employers, and pensioners,” Macasaet concluded.  

Elon Musk’s Starlink introduced satellite internet technology in the Philippines last year and was first rolled out in Metro Manila.