By Bryan Manabat
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
SELF-EMPLOYED workers — from barbers and hairstylists to mobile food operators, taxi drivers, and home-based service providers — are being urged to apply for federal disaster loans as the U.S. Small Business Administration expands its outreach following Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
SBA Public Affairs Specialist Raenada Mason said many small operators do not realize they qualify for SBA disaster assistance, even if they did not suffer physical damage. Under SBA rules, sole proprietors and independent contractors are considered small businesses and may be eligible for both physical damage loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans or EIDL.
“An independent contractor can apply for a business loan… whether you operate a lawn care service, do hair, or run a taxi service,” Mason said. “You can apply for this assistance because you are considered a small business.”
The outreach effort comes as the SBA reports more than $3.87 million in disaster loans approved so far for CNMI survivors. Nearly all of that assistance has gone to homeowners and renters, while businesses and nonprofits account for less than one percent of approved funding.
Mason said the low level of business participation is not unusual in the months following a major disaster. Many companies are still stabilizing operations, assessing losses, and organizing financial records before fully understanding the extent of their economic injury. For many small operators, the financial impact of Sinlaku — including weeks-long closures, utility outages, and reduced customer traffic — is only now becoming clear.
To help address those challenges, the SBA is opening a dedicated Business Recovery Center at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce office at Marianas Business Plaza in Susupe beginning Tuesday at 9 a.m.
The center will operate Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will focus exclusively on assisting businesses and nonprofits with disaster loan applications, documentation, and eligibility questions. Mason said the Chamber site offers a quieter, more focused environment for business owners who may not have time to wait in long lines at the Survivor Recovery Center in Susupe.
The Survivor Recovery Center, located at the multi-purpose center, remains open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and continues to serve both individuals and businesses.
“We wanted to make sure there’s an opportunity for them to come in and seek assistance…whether it’s application submission, questions, or other help,” Mason said.
Many businesses are encountering paperwork challenges, particularly those whose tax filings, financial statements, or business structures changed before the storm. Mason said SBA staff can help applicants prepare or update required documents, while the Small Business Development Center is available to assist with more complex business-structure issues.
Incomplete or outdated paperwork, she said, has been one of the most common obstacles for applicants.
SBA disaster loans offer long-term, affordable financing intended specifically for disaster recovery. Loan terms can extend up to 30 years, with a one-year payment deferral and no interest accruing during that first year. Unsecured loans are available up to $50,000, and borrowers may request increases for up to two years after signing their loan agreement.
The deadline to apply for physical damage loans is June 22, while EIDL applications remain open until Jan. 25, 2027.
Bryan Manabat was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College where he also studied criminal justice. He is the recipient of the NMI Humanities Award as an Outstanding Teacher (Non-Classroom) in 2013, and has worked for the CNMI Motheread/Fatheread Literacy Program as lead facilitator.
