52 Addressing Inequality During the Pandemic 205 The extension of the “no-disconnection policy” for low income households that are unable to pay their electricity bills amid the COVID-19 pandemic have been approved.182 206 Surigao del Sur Representative Johnny Pimentel filed House Bill No. 8594, wherein displaced workers can claim unemployment benefits equal to 50 percent of their monthly salary for a maximum of six months granted through a one-time payment. The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 11199, or the Social Security Act of 2018. 183 207 According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, personal remittances sent home by expatriate Filipinos reached $2.9 billion in January 2021. This is 1.7 percent lower than the $2.94 billion in January 2020. The marginal decline in personal remittances during the month was attributed to the 2.4-percent drop in remittances from land-based workers with work contracts of a year or more to $2.22 billion from $2.27 billion in January 2020. 208 Remittances from sea-based workers and land-based workers with work contracts of less than a year increased by 1 percent to $609 million in January 2021 from $603 million one year ago. Central bank records showed usually robust January remittance growth, having risen 9.8 percent in 2014, 3.3 percent in 2015, 3.6 percent in 2016, 8.6 percent in 2017, 9.7 percent in 2018, 4.4 percent in 2019 and 6.6 percent in 2020, just a few weeks before the global pandemic was declared.184 209 The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will accept new applications from active members and pensioners alike for its COVID-19 emergency loan plan starting 22 March to 21 June 2021. Those who have previously availed of the COVID-19 emergency 182 Aguilar, Krissy, February 4,2021, Duterte okays extension of ‘no-disconnection policy’ for low-income families. Accord, inquirer.net. Accessed last February 4, 2021 from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1391964/duterte-oks-extension-of-nodisconnection-policy-for-low-income-families#ixzz6lUkYBB5f 183 Philippine News Agency (2021). Bill filed to triple unemployment insurance for laid off workers. Retrieved February 15, 2021 from https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1129896 184 Lucas, D. (2021). Remittances down in January on pandemic job losses. Retrieved from https://business.inquirer. net/319569/remittances-down-in-january-on-pandemic-job-losses