Pag-IBIG announces 6-mo. penalty condonation
for delinquent and unregistered employers
CEBU CITY, Dec 15 (PIA) --- Delinquent borrowers and unregistered employers are given a six-month period for the condonation of penalty by the Home Development Mutual Fund or Pag-Ibig Fund starting January 1, 2012 until June 30.
Per HDMF Circular No. 399, the program shall cover employers who did not enroll their employees with Pag-Ibig and whom they also did not collect membership contributions.
These employers may apply for penalty condonation on the employer’s counterparts’ contributions of those coverable employees, according to Anthony Maglungsod, officer-in-charge assistant department manager for operations.
However, those employers who have previously availed of any penalty condonation offered by the Pag-Ibig Fund and employers who collected membership contributions and/ or STL amortizations from their respective employees but failed to remit the same to the Fund can not avail of this program, Maglungsod added.
Employers, unregistered and existing, who wish to avail of the program are required to register with the Fund through its Online Employer Registration System prior to applying for penalty condonation not later than June 30, 2012.
Upon application for penalty condonation, the employers are required to remit their contributions of current employees for the current remittance period and every month thereafter. Otherwise, the corresponding penalty chargers will apply.
The applications for penalty condonation is approved or disapproved not later than two months from the date of submission of the complete documents. This is learned.
Once the application for penalty condonation is approved, employers have the option to settle it in full or through a plan of payment to be submitted within seven days and not later than the 25th day from the day of approval. Otherwise, said approval shall be forfeited.
The employers are to pay all its counterpart arrearages from the approval of application and the dividends that said arreages could have earned. The payment shall be made in full within 30 days from approval of the application for penalty condonation.
Those employers whose applications are disapproved are required to pay all contributions, arreages of its members including applicable penalties, interests and dividends, if any. Failure to do so will result to corresponding legal actions against these employers.
HDMF Division Chief for Marketing & Enforcement Division for Cebu South Branch Portia Bacalso also added that the period of settlement of the condoned amount shall be 24 months for employers with at least 100 employees and 60 months for employers with less than 100 employees at the time of the application.
Those who have opted through a plan of payment shall issue corresponding number of post-dated checks (PDCs) to cover the approved plan of payment.
Bacalso said she, Val Pepito and Philip Vasquez are available for any queries on the said Circular and can be reached through telephone numbers 415-5003 and 415-5003. (FCR/JSME/PIA-Cebu/JSME)
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Pag-Ibig celebrates 31st anniversary, cites doubling
of assets to P300B as major accomplishment
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, December 15 (PIA) – As the Home Development Mutual Fund popularly known as Pag-Ibig celebrates its 31st anniversary today, top officials here proudly reported its major accomplishments including how the funds of its over 1M members in Central Visayas have grown to more than double than it was 10 years ago.
Victoria de la Peña, vice president of the Pag-Ibig Fund Visayas Group bared that in 2001, the assets of the government-owned and controlled corporation was pegged at P123B which grew to P191B in 2006 and that by yearend, the assets have ballooned to about P300B.
“In ten year’s time, from 2001 to 2011, our assets have grown to more than double from P123B to P300B this year,” De la Peña reported.
“And we continue to assure our members that we will act according to our mandates in their best interests,” De la Peña said.
As of September, this year, there are 1.1M members of Pag-Ibig in Central Visayas. Their target coverage for 2011 however, is 1.3M
De la Peña admitted that they may not be able to meet their target coverage for this year but that they are constantly conducting aggressive campaign for employers to register their employees with Pag-Ibig since this is mandatory.
Rio Teves, department manager III of the Pag-Ibig Fund Cebu South Branch said they registered a nine percent increase in membership.
“Last year, the total members were 323,000 which grew this year to 351,691 members,” Teves said. The Cebu South Branch covers the southern part of Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Jovelita Custodio, department manager III of Pag-ibig Fund Cebu North Branch likewise said their membership also increased by 94,109 new members.
“As of end of November, we have a total number of 304, 839 members including the 94,000 new members this year,” Custodio declared.
De la Peña said that they are continuing their aggressive campaign in calling out to employers to enroll their workers with Pag-Ibig.
“Our coverage now also includes household helpers, drivers, and other plain workers as long as he or she has an average monthly income of P1,000,” De la Peña said.
This year’s celebration carries the theme “Makabuluhan. Matatag. Maasahan” which de la Peña translated to English that means relevance, stability and reliability. (PIA-Cebu)
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PAG-IBIG’s assures members of relevant, stable, reliable services
by Amor Saludar
‘as Pag-Ibig celebrates 2011 its 31st anniversary’
CEBU CITY December 15 (PIA) -- In its 31st anniversary celebration bearing the theme, “Makabuluhan. Matatag. Maaasahan!,” the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF) otherwise called the Pag-IBIG Fund pledged to continue their relevant, stable and reliable
services to its members in Central Visayas.
Pag-IBIG Fund Visayas Group Vice President, Victoria de la Pena cited the significance of the Fund to its members during the recent Kapihan sa PIA.
“Pag-IBIG Fund is very relevant and important as we are there to meet the needs of the people especially on the areas of savings in preparation for their future and housing, a very basic need. We stress the importance of savings for a better future,” de la Pena said.
De la Pena added that in 2001, they experienced a threat to the members’ savings but that its officials and members became united in their efforts to prevent other people whom she did not name to use the funds.
“Also, during calamities, we open our doors to provide loans to our members in need,” de la Pena further said.
She recalled that during the previous calamities in Manila and some parts of Luzon, Pag-Ibig personnel from various branches nationwide augmented Manila personnel to fast track the facilitation and processing of loans to its affected members.
To continue providing efficient and sincere services to its members, de la Pena cited some of their major plans for 2012. These include the adoption of modern technologies in order to make their services faster and the strict implementation in collecting loan payments.
De la Peña also said they plan to have a wider coverage that now includes household help and drivers among others and processing of loan applications via online.
“We will also clean the backlog in our housing program and will closely coordinate with local government units to avail of our Group Housing Loan Program,” she added.
HDMF Assistant Department Manager – Operations Engr. Sulpicio Villegas said the Group Housing Loan Program for LGUs aims to provide affordable housing to its employees, initially which can then be expanded to other average income-earners in their respective localities.
“The Housing Loan Program for LGUs will minimize the cost of the housing unit by 30% as LGUs do not mark up the cost unlike developers,” Villegas said.
Four LGUs have already expressed interest on the program. The municipalities of Balamban, Argao and Dalaguete and Cebu City signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Pag-Ibig Cebu South Branch last December 2, this is learned.
On the other hand, Pag-Ibig Cebu North Branch Division Chief of the Marketing and Enforcement Division Ma. Salve Ceniza said they plan to establish extension desks in the rural areas of northern Cebu to make their services nearer to its members in the area.
As present, Ceniza said that they already set up an extension desk in Bogo City and plan to have it in the neighboring rural areas.
De la Pena stressed that “We will not let the hard-earned money by our members be wasted.” (FCR/AS/PIA-Cebu)
More environmental movies sought for Filipinos
by Amor Saludar
CEBU CITY December 14 (PIA) -- Filmmakers in the country are encouraged to produce more movies that display the value of environment and how it can be sustained as well as its impact to the lives of every Filipinos.
Senator Loren Legarda found this move essential for the protection; conservation and rehabilitation of the environment through the entertainment industry such as movies that really draw a number of audiences.
"The movie industry is far from merely being a source of entertainment as it can actually touch peoples' lives. A good movie leaves a strong impact on its viewers and as such is undoubtedly an effective channel to convey a critical message. A single film can become the impetus to influence citizens to act for a noble cause," Legarda said.
The Senator is already making the first steps of this move as she already formed the Loren Legarda Environment Award for Film that gives recognition to the members of the movie industry who value the environment thru the big screen.
This award is included in the Filipino film award giving body the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences, Inc. (FAMAS).
The first recipient of this award is Project Noel, an environmental advocacy film produced by Marcus Phoenix Media Productions and directed by Jon Steffan Ballesteros. This was recognized during the 59th Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences, Inc. (FAMAS) Awards Night.
"I laud filmmakers who have exerted time and effort to create advocacy films, such as Project Noel, because despite the fact that such movies do not get much of the limelight, they pushed through it to be able to contribute in raising public awareness on vital issues that we must focus on," the Senator quoted.
Legarda also thank FAMAS for imparting contribution in the move to save the environment by making a venue for environmental films to prove its worth to the people.
"Through the Loren Legarda Environment Award for Film, we hope to encourage movie producers to create films that will send a powerful message about the urgent need to save Mother Earth," Legarda concluded. (FCR/AS/PIA-CEBU)