Laguna Courier - The Voice of the People Newspaper

19/08/2026

Unscheduled power interruption in parts of Laguna Province today, 19 August 2026 at 3:48PM

Affected: FLECO ( First Laguna Electric Cooperative, Inc. )

Reason: outage of Lumban-Famy 69 kV and Lumban-Caliraya 69 kV lines. Root cause is yet to be determined.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this power interruption. | National Grid Corporation of the Philippines

19/08/2026

CARD Indogrosir opens 100th branch in Cavite to continue empowering local sari-sari stores

CARD Indogrosir Inc., the grocery distributor arm of CARD MRI in partnership with Indonesia’s Salim group, opened its 100th branch in Trece Martires, Cavite on July 31, 2026, serving local households and microentrepreneurs.

As commercial convenience stores and shopping marts continue to expand across urban communities, CARD Indogrosir’s 100th store is strategically located in Trece Martires to help sari-sari store owners stay competitive. By providing wholesale products at lower prices, the branch expects to serve over 2,000 sari-sari store owners and other related businesses in the area.

Sari-sari stores remain essential to daily Filipino life, offering tingi (small-quantity) purchases and informal credit for families trying to stretch tight budgets. Beyond convenience, these neighborhood stalls also serve as vital social hubs for local communities. | Jireh Pearl Casionan / CARD MRI Publishing House Inc. / CARD Indogrosir

Photo caption:
CARD Indogrosir Executive Vice President Frederick Nicasio Torres (centermost) during the opening of the 100th branch in Trece Martires, Cavite, emphasizing their commitment to helping local microentrepreneurs thrive.

19/08/2026

CARD RBI, kinilala sa Gawad TANYAG Awards 2026 ng LANDBANK

Kinilala ang CARD MRI Rizal Bank, Inc. (CARD RBI) bilang isa sa mga natatanging institusyong pinansyal sa Gawad TANYAG Awards sa pagdiriwang ng ika-63 anibersaryo ng LANDBANK noong Agosto 8, 2026.

Tinanggap ng bangko ang Gawad Partner Financial Institution (PFI) Outstanding Rural Bank Award bilang pagkilala sa mga pagsisikap at kontribusyon nito sa pagpapalawak ng akses sa serbisyong pinansyal para sa mga nasa laylayang komunidad at pamilyang Pilipino.

“Ipinakikita ng parangal na ito ang aming dedikasyon sa pagpapatibay ng mga komunidad sa malalayong lugar sa bansa at sa paggamit ng mga pagkakataon upang palawakin ang kanilang mga oportunidad sa kabuhayan. Ito ang mahalagang epekto ng pagtataguyod ng financial inclusion," pahayag ni Lyneth Derequito, Pangulo at CEO ng CARD RBI.

Dagdag pa ni Derequito, ang pagkilalang ito ay para sa mga kawani ng bangko at sa mga nagtitiwalang kliyente nito. “Ang kanilang mga pangarap na magkaroon ng mas mabuting buhay ang nagtutulak sa amin upang patuloy na palawakin ang aming serbisyo para sa mas maraming Pilipinong walang akses sa pampinansyal na serbisyo, at mabigyan sila ng parehong oportunidad para sa kanilang pag-unlad.”

Ang Gawad TANYAG (TANging YAman at Galing) Awards ay isang programa ng pagkilala sa mga kliyente at partner na nangunguna sa pagpapaunlad ng komunidad sa pamamagitan ng kahusayan, makabagong pamamaraan, at serbisyo.

Ang CARD RBI, na isang microfinance-oriented rural bank ng CARD MRI, ay nagbibigay ng mga produkto at serbisyong pinansyal na nakatuon sa mga nasa laylayan at sa maliliit na negosyante. Kabilang dito ang microfinance, solar loan, tulong pinansyal sa edukasyon at kalusugan, savings account, at serbisyo sa remittance. Sa pakikipagtulungan nito sa CARD MRI network, nagbibigay rin ito ng microinsurance, suporta sa pagpapalago ng negosyo, at iba't ibang programang pangkomunidad.

Mula noong Hunyo 2026, ang CARD RBI ay may 405 opisina at 2,016 na empleyado na naglilingkod sa 946,868 na kliyente sa buong bansa. Ang bangko ay mayroon na ring mahigit PHP 9 bilyon na naipautang na may 99.32% repayment rate. | August 18, 2026, Edrian Banania, Senior Writer Writer / CARD MRI Publishing House Inc. / CARD MRI RIZAL BANK, Inc.

Photo Caption:
Tinanggap ni Lyneth Derequito, Pangulo at CEO ng CARD RBI (pangalawa mula sa kaliwa), ang Gawad Partner Financial Institution sa ginanap na LANDBANK Gawad TANYAG 2026.

17/08/2026

SSS offers existing Emergency Loan Program to members affected by Tropical Storm Maymay, Habagat

QUEZON CITY, 17 August 2026 – The Social Security System (SSS) announced that members affected by Tropical Storm Maymay and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) may avail themselves of the existing Emergency Loan Program (ELP) to help address their financial needs arising from the calamity.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro said the ELP remains available to qualified members nationwide and serves as a readily accessible source of financial assistance for those experiencing financial hardship due to calamities and other emergency situations.

“The ELP is part of SSS' continuing commitment to provide immediate financial relief to members affected by unforeseen events. Through the ELP, qualified members affected by Tropical Storm Maymay and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon may access much-needed financial assistance under more flexible eligibility requirements,” de Claro said.

“Under the ELP, which has been in effect since 01 May 2026, the required number of monthly contributions has been reduced from 36 to 18, provided that the member has at least six posted contributions in the last 12 months,” de Claro said.

He added that self-employed, voluntary, non-working spouse, and land-based Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) members must have at least six-monthly contributions under their current membership type before the month of loan application.

Other eligibility requirements are as follows:
Under 65 years old at the time of loan application;
Have a valid Philippine home address on SSS records;
Have an updated contact information in the SSS database;
Have no past-due emergency, calamity, salary, Educational Assistance Loan, or other short-term or long-term member loans;
Have no outstanding restructured loan;
Have not been disqualified due to fraud committed against the SSS;
Have not been granted any final benefit like retirement or permanent total disability benefits; and
Have an active disbursement account enrolled through the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM) in the My.SSS Portal.

Qualified members may borrow up to ₱20,000 at an interest rate as low as 7% per annum. The loan is payable over 30 months, inclusive of a six-month moratorium period.
“Members are not required to make monthly amortization payments during the first six months from the date of loan approval. No penalties will be imposed during this period. Regular monthly amortization payments will begin in the seventh month,” de Claro explained.

De Claro added that members affected by the tropical cyclone may also apply for an SSS salary loan at the same time, subject to the eligibility requirements.

Members may apply online for both the ELP and the salary loan through the My.SSS Portal at www.sss.gov.ph. # John Oblanca | Philippine Social Security System - SSS

17/08/2026

SSS continues support to the local market as part of nation building while exploring international investments to balance portfolio

QUEZON CITY, 12 August 2026 – The Social Security System (SSS) announced today its plan to expand its investment portfolio in foreign markets while continuing to actively participate in the domestic capital markets, as part of its strategy to diversify assets, enhance returns, and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the pension fund.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Robert Joseph M. de Claro said the SSS’ improved financial position provides greater capacity to pursue investment opportunities while continuing to contribute to nation-building through investments in the domestic market.

“We are very conservative, but at the same time, we are also in a very good position now because of our surplus, that for the first time, we have an opportunity to help in nation-building,” de Claro said.

As of 30 June 2026, SSS had ₱1.27 trillion in consolidated investments, distributed across various asset classes in the domestic market. These include ₱629.05 billion in government securities, ₱179.44 billion in equities, ₱154.56 billion in property, ₱151.90 billion in member loans, and ₱96.34 billion in corporate notes and bonds, among others.

The diversified portfolio generated ₱27.16 billion in actual investment income as of 30 June 2026, equivalent to an annualized return on investment of 4.53 percent. The figures exclude realized gains from the sale of equity securities classified as fair value through other comprehensive income (FVTOCI).

SSS remains an active institutional investor in the Philippine capital market through investments in equities, government securities, and other financial instruments allowed under its investment policies. Its exploration of international investments is intended to complement, not replace, its existing domestic investments, providing greater diversification across markets and asset classes.

The planned overseas expansion will allow SSS to explore additional investment opportunities while maintaining its role in supporting the local capital market.

He emphasized that exploring overseas investments does not mean reducing SSS’ participation in the Philippine market. Rather, the initiative is intended to complement its existing domestic investments by providing greater diversification across markets and asset classes.

SSS aims to grow its reserve fund to ₱2 trillion by 2030, supporting its capacity to provide meaningful and sustainable social security protection to current and future generations of members and pensioners. # John Oblanca | Philippine Social Security System - SSS

16/08/2026

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16/08/2026

Laguna Courier - The Voice of the People Newspaper
August 17, 2026 ~ Last Page

SSS Micro Loan Program o SSS LoanLite

Hindi lahat ng pangangailangan sa pera ay kailangang malaki. Minsan, ilang libong piso lamang ang kailangan para matugunan ang isang agarang gastusin, madagdagan ang puhunan sa maliit na negosyo, o mairaos ang isang panandaliang pangangailangang pinansyal.
Para sa mga kwalipikadong SSS member, may bagong option para rito – ang SSS Micro Loan Program o SSS LoanLite.
Ang LoanLite ay nagbibigay ng micro loan na mula ₱1,000 hanggang ₱20,000, depende sa eligibility at loan computation ng miyembro. Ang loan ay maaaring bayaran sa loob ng 15, 30, 60, o 90 calendar days, kaya mas nakatuon ito sa mga pangangailangang kayang matugunan at mabayaran sa maikling panahon.
Sino ang maaaring mag-avail?
Hindi awtomatikong kwalipikado ang lahat ng miyembro. Kabilang sa mga pangunahing kondisyon ang pagiging 18 hanggang 65 taong gulang sa pagtatapos ng loan term at pagkakaroon ng hindi bababa sa 12 posted monthly contributions.
Hindi rin dapat magkaroon ng past due na short-term member loan, pending o unsettled final benefit claim, o active restructured loan. Kung mayroon nang dating micro loan na ni-refinance, kailangan itong fully paid bago muling makapag-apply.
Magkano ang maaaring mahiram?
Nakadepende ang loan amount sa bilang ng posted contributions at average monthly salary credit (MSC) ng miyembro sa nakalipas na 12 buwan.
Para sa miyembrong may hindi bababa sa 12 contributions, maaaring maging basehan ang 11% ng average MSC sa nakalipas na 12 buwan o ₱1,000, alinman ang mas mataas. Tumataas ang maaaring loan amount depende sa bilang ng contributions, hanggang sa maximum na ₱20,000.
Ang interest rate ay 8% kada taon o 0.67% kada buwan.
Ang LoanLite ay maaaring maging kapaki-pakinabang kapag maliit lamang ang kinakailangang halaga at malinaw kung paano ito babayaran sa loob ng maikling panahon. Ngunit tulad ng anumang loan, hindi dapat basta manghiram dahil lamang madali ang application.
Mahalagang suriin muna kung kailangan talaga ang pera, magkano lamang ang kinakailangan, at kung kakayaning bayaran sa takdang panahon.
Kapag hindi nabayaran sa pagtatapos ng loan term, maaaring magkaroon ng continuing interest at penalties. Maaari ring masuspinde ang SSS loan privileges hanggang sa tuluyang ma-settle ang past-due account.
Sa huli, ang SSS LoanLite ay isang karagdagang financial option para sa miyembrong may panandaliang pangangailangan. Ang tunay na benepisyo nito ay hindi lamang ang mabilis na access sa pera, kundi ang pagkakaroon ng loan option na may halagang at panahon ng pagbabayad na mas madaling planuhin, basta gagamitin ito nang responsable.
Para sa tamang impormasyon at updates sa mga programa at benepisyo ng SSS, bisitahin at i-follow ang opisyal na page ng SSS sa Facebook, X (dating Twitter), YouTube, at Viber – hanapin lang ang MYSSSPH. Maaari ring magpadala ng email sa [email protected], ang local na email address sa rehiyon para sa inyong katanungan, o tumawag sa SSS Hotline 1455 para sa mga paglilinaw, o anumang paksa tungkol sa SSS. Bukas din ang [email protected] para sa inyong concerns at katanungan. ~ John Oblanca








Philippine Social Security System - SSS

15/08/2026

National Grid Corporation of the Philippines
News Release
14 August 2026

HIGHER ANCILLARY SERVICE RATES PUSH OVERALL AVERAGE TRANSMISSION RATES IN AUGUST 2026 ELECTRIC BILLS

Power consumers of private distribution utilities and electric cooperatives may see an increase in transmission rates reflected in their August 2026 electricity bills due to a sharp increase in ancillary service (AS) rates.

AS rates, pass-through costs for power supplied by power generators who provide ancillary services during supply-demand imbalance, increased by 30.85%, from PhP0.7941/kWh in June to PhP1.0391/kWh in the July billing period.

NGCP emphasized that it does not earn from AS and does not benefit from any change in AS prices, as these are remitted directly to generation companies with bilateral contracts with NGCP, and to the Independent Electricity Market Operator of the Philippines (IEMOP) for AS sourced from the Reserve Market.

Meanwhile, NGCP’s transmission wheeling rate, or the fee for delivering power through the transmission grid, slightly increased, from PhP0.5044/kWh in June to PhP0.5436/kWh in July.

Overall, the equivalent average transmission rate for distribution utilities and electric cooperatives for the July 2026 billing period to be billed by distribution utilities and electric cooperatives this August increased by 22.22% to PhP1.7560/kWh, up from June’s PhP1.4367/kWh.

NGCP reiterates that bulk of the overall transmission rate is attributable to charges for Ancillary Services.

“As System Operator, NGCP’s responsibility is to ensure grid stability and reliability, especially during periods of supply-demand imbalance. NGCP does not earn from Ancillary Service charges. These payments are remitted to the service providers that supply the reserves needed to keep the power system secure and reliable,” NGCP said. # # # Ms Joyce Balancio

14/08/2026

𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗜𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡

Safety first, always.

Hindi natin alam kung kailan darating ang aksidente, kaya mahalagang laging handa!

Sa AcciPlan, may maaasahang tulong pinansyal para sa iyo at sa iyong pamilya.

𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀:
💙 ₱50,000.00 – Accidental Death Benefit
💙 Hanggang ₱50,000.00 – Accidental Dismemberment/Disablement Benefit
💙 Hanggang ₱15,000.00 – Motor Vehicular Accident Hospitalization Benefit
💙 ₱500 kada araw – Accidental Daily Hospitalization Income Benefit (hanggang 30 araw bawat policy year)

Premium: ₱850.00 (renewable hanggang edad 70)
Mode of Payment: Cash o via Loan

14/08/2026