PNP gets financial aid from PSMBFI
The Marketing Manager of Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund, Inc., retired Police Senior Superintendent Frederick V Oconer, yesterday turned over at the Police Regional Office 6 the financial aid for police personnel in Panay Island who were badly affected by Typhoon Frank. This, following the National Disaster Coordinating Council declared 'under the state of calamity' the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo, and the cities of Iloilo and Roxas, Capiz.
The PSMBFI is a non-stock, non-profit mutual benefit association, which was organized in 1997 to provide insurance protection to its members. PSMBFI came about following the enactment of Republic Act 8291 (GSIS Act of 1997) which excluded the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology from the social insurance coverage of Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) without providing for an alternative option.
The PSMBFI turned over P50,000.00 each to the Police Provincial Offices of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo, and the cities of Iloilo and Roxas, Capiz. The turn-over of checks was made in the presence of PRO 6 Director, Police Chief Superintendent Isagani R. Cuevas.
Oconer also disclosed that PSMBFI President, retired Police Director Efren Q Fernandez, is now in Aklan to turn over an additional assistance of P250,000.00 to Aklan PPO. He also said that a P10,000.00 financial support will be given to each municipal police station, which was identified to have been devastated by Typhoon Frank.
No financial aid was given to Negros Occidental, Guimaras and Bacolod City since the NDCC did not declare these areas as under the state of calamity.
Aside from financial aid, the PSMBFI also opens a calamity loan facility to its members who reside in municipalities or provinces, which were declared as under the state of calamity. The said facility avails to members a maximum of P50,000.00 on loan payable in 2 years with 9% interest per annum.
Initially, the PSMBFI was created for PNP uniformed members only but over the years its membership has now included PNP non-uniformed personnel, PNP retirees, BFP uniformed personnel, National Police Commission personnel, Philippine National Police Academy cadets and Department of Telecommunication Commission personnel.
Oconer, however, clarified that the PSMBFI is not a replacement of GSIS since the contribution of police-members to the latter was never transferred to the former. (F Lindero)