Page 8 - Hello Philippines January 2016 'A' Issue

8 www.hello-philippines.com BUSINESS & FINANCE January 2016 – No. 01 • UK & Europe Edition

dSuSeStooftfyeprshocoanlaNmoitnya sretaliretfinpgaJcakna.g4e
MANILA – Members of the Social
Security System (SSS) from areas File photo The SSS is also waiving the one- locally-employed members and 15 on the other hand, is on October 22
devastated by typhoon Nona can percent service fee normally charged years for overseas Filipino workers. next year, one year after the issuance of
avail of a calamity relief package that effects of this recent disaster,” Ocay on SSS salary loans to increase the the corresponding circular last October
includes early renewal of salary loans, said. loan proceeds of members availing of Pensioners residing in the declared 23,” Ocay said.
advance disbursement of pensions, and the SLERP. The SSS grants one-month calamity areas can apply for advance
preferential terms for house repair and The first program under the and two-month salary loans of up to three-month pensions. Members and The NDRRMC-declared calamity
improvement loans starting 4 January calamity relief package is the Salary P16,000 and P32,000, respectively, pensioners can directly claim their areas due to typhoon Lando include
2016. Loan Early Renewal Program (SLERP), which are payable in two years. checks from the SSS branch that the provinces of Isabela, Aurora,
which waives the required 50 percent received their application within three Pangasinan, Cagayan and Nueva
In a news release, SSS Assistant completion of loan payment as a “The heavy rains and floods caused days and one week, respectively. If Ecija; and municipalities of Calumpit
Vice President for Member Loans qualifying condition for loan renewal by typhoon Nona had damaged unclaimed after three days, the salary (Bulacan), Sugpon (Ilocos Sur), Arayat
Department Boobie Angela Ocay said under our regular guidelines. Hence, thousands of houses. To help our loan and advance pension checks will (Pampanga), Infanta and General
the calamity relief package for typhoon even borrowers who have only paid a affected members to restore their be mailed to the member or pensioner. Nakar (Quezon), and Camiling and
Nona would be open starting January 4 few monthly amortizations are allowed destroyed homes, the SSS is providing Ramos (Tarlac).
in all areas in the country as pronounced by SSS to renew their loans as a special a lower interest rate of six percent for Meanwhile, Ocay reminded
by President Benigno Aquino III, who consideration. home repair and improvement loans members and pensioners covered “Pensioners whose registered
declared a National State of Calamity as part of the calamity relief package,” by the calamity relief package for address in the SSS database differs
through Proclamation 1186 dated Ocay said. typhoon Lando, which hit several from their current residence must
December 18. Luzon provinces last October, that the present a certification of their stay in
Under the SSS Direct House Repair availment deadline for SLERP and the declared calamity area from NDRRMC,
“In this time of need, we offer our and Improvement Loan Program advance three-month pension will be Department of Social Welfare and
assistance to our calamity-stricken offered under the calamity relief on 31 December 2015. Development or their barangay
members and pensioners so that they package, eligible members can borrow chairman along with their application
can cope and move on faster from the funds of up to P1 million, with payment “The deadline for Lando-affected form,” Ocay said. n InterAksyon.com / December
terms at a maximum of 20 years for members who intend to apply for
house repair and improvement loans, 28, 2015 / 12:51 pm

UNTIL COA NOTICE IS RESOLVED LTO stops collecting P450 for new car plates

FOR now, vehicle owners no the DOTC said. discontinue the procurement under notice of disallowance from the COA is
longer have to pay the P450 fee for However, Transportation and the LTO Motor Vehicle License Plate resolved.
the new standardized license plates, Standardization Program.
the Department of Transportation Communications Secretary Emilio The LTO in January issued
and Communications (DOTC) said on Joseph Abaya said this will cause a delay The SC ruled that the petition has Memorandum Circular No. AVT-2014-
Wednesday. in the issuance of license plates. been rendered moor and academic, and 1895, mandating vehicle owners to
any defect in the procurement process replace their old license plates with the
This comes on the heels of a “We are currently in the process has been “cured.” new standardized plates.
“notice of disallowance” issued by of resolving the issue with the COA
the Commission on Audit (COA), to regarding the Plate Standardization Isabela Rep. Rodolfo “Rodito” Albano Along with DOTC, it rolled out the
stop the Land Transportation Office’s Program. We hope issues will be III called for the immediate suspension Plate Standardization Program in May.
(LTO) from collecting fees for the new resolved and COA lifts the disallowance of the LTO’s P3.8-billion contract for new
license plates. so we can provide the public with plates license plates while the Congress probes “The standardization program aims
for improved road safety,” he said. the supposedly substandard quality and to curb illegal practices such as tanggal-
“This means, vehicle owners who the questionable awarding of the deal. plaka or plate removal or switching,
have not yet paid for the new license The commission stopped the which is prevalent in carnapping and
plates will not have to shell out P450 additional disbursements for the According to the DOTC, the LTO will colorum public utility vehicles,” the
upon their renewal of registration,” program in July, on the heels of issue the new license plates to motorists DOTC said. n Jon Viktor Cabuenas / VS, GMA
a Supreme Court (SC) decision to who have already paid the fee once the
News / Published / December 23, 2015 / 2:41 pm

TRB green lights Cavitex C5 Link construction Agriculture output remains weak – PSA data
MANILA – The Toll Regulatory THE Philippine economy generally across the board.
seems to be doing well, according to “If we continue the pace we have
Board issued Wednesday the notice the latest data from the Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA), except for now, it should be a member of the
to proceed for the Cavitex C5 Link the agriculture sector. upper middle (cluster) – a 7 to 8
percent growth rate is doable. We
Expressway, clearing the way for the The numbers, as of the third are not yet in a position where you
quarter of the year, show the can expect the economy to grow at a
construction by the Metro Pacific agriculture sector performing poorly slower pace,” Socioeconomic Planning
by growing 0.04-percent. Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan told
Tollways Group of the project’s first reporters earlier this month. n Jon
Despite the slack in agriculture
stage from C5 Road in Taguig to output, the government believes Viktor Cabuenas / VS, G MA News / Published /
the economy in general will do well
Moonwalk and Merville in Paranaque December 25, 2015 / 11:40 am

City.

Metro Pacific Tollways is planning

to break ground for the project in

January and begin construction the

next month.

The project, projected for
completion in 2019, will eventually road network, and to the Cavite- country and operates the NLEX and
connect to Cavitex or the Coastal Road. Laguna Expressway slated for the SCTEX. It has also successfully
“The right-of-way for the first completion in 2020,” and “spur further established an investment foothold
portion of the expressway has been economic development in Paranaque in Southeast Asian toll roads in Don
substantially acquired, and will and in Cavite and Laguna provinces by Muang, Bangkok, Thailand and CII
be completed when the transfer of providing a safe and convenient link Bridge and Roads in Ho Chi Minh,
additional land for the project is made from the central and northern parts Vietnam.
Recently, it won the bid for
by the Manila International Airport of Metro Manila to the high-growth
Authority to the Department of Public industrial and residential centers in the 45-Kilometer Cavite-Laguna
Expressway, the government’s largest
Works and Highways,” Metro Pacific Southern Tagalog.”
The Metro Pacific Tollways group public-private partnership project to
Tollways said in a statement.
It said the project “will provide of companies is currently the largest date. n InterAksyon.com / December 23, 2015 /
seamless connection to the Cavitex operator of toll expressways in the 11:55 am