TACLOBAN CITY ? The Social Security System in Eastern Visayas is now accepting applications for emergency loans from members who lost their jobs due to the global recession.

Lilibeth Cajucom, SSS branch manager for Eastern Visayas, said on Saturday a displaced worker could apply for up to P15,000 in emergency loan payable in two years at an annual interest of six percent.

The SSS has allocated P500 million for its national emergency loan program for members who lost their jobs because of the global recession.

?The program is very specific. This is only intended for workers who lost their jobs because of the (financial) crisis and not for any other reasons,? Cajucom said.

She added that the program was in response to President Macapagal Arroyo?s call for the SSS to help its members during this time of financial difficulty.

However, Cajucom could not say how much of the P500 million would be allotted for Eastern Visayas, which has more than 100,000 members.

So far, she said the SSS regional office has yet to receive applications for the emergency loan program, which started last March.

The regional office of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has not reported any displacement of workers in Eastern Visayas due to the global recession.

However, there were unconfirmed reports that some establishments had opted to shorten their workload instead of laying off their workers.

An SSS member who would like to apply for the emergency loan program has to bring a certification from his former employer.