CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The Government Service Insurance System opened programs to assist its members amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
GSIS-Pampanga branch manager Aileen Villanueva announced that they are offering contactless filing of claims and benefits including retirement, life insurance, survivorship, death, funeral, employees’ compensation, pre-need, and request for pension accrual.
“Because of the pandemic, our members can file electronically. At the comfort of their homes, they can avail of their claims or loans,” she said.
Government employees, retirees, and beneficiaries could submit their application forms and requirements through postal mail or delivery courier; drop boxes located in the lobbies of GSIS branches; and through email.
In addition, GSIS is offering the Program for Restructuring and Repayment of Debts (PRRD) which extends the computation for penalties and the outstanding loan balances for inactive members.
“This is a very good program of GSIS as this is the only time that we are offering a condonation or waiver of notice for inactive members. That is why we are reminding them to take this opportunity to reach out to them and encourage them to avail PRRD,” GSIS-Pampanga division chief for billing collection Alma Fatima Hilario said.
Eligible to avail the PRRD are the inactive members who have retired, separated, or resigned, with unsettled outstanding loan balances.
For PRRD, Hilario explained that inactive members are still required to pay, but the penalties are condoned 100 percent in the outstanding loan balance.
“What they can do is avail themselves through contactless filing. They can pass their applications by downloading on the website the PRRD application and email, with a copy of their identification cards,” she explained.
The official said that payment could be full or one-time, or through restructuring of monthly amortization which is payable for a maximum for three years with 10% interest rate.
GSIS is also offering the Multipurpose Loan (MPL) program which gives borrowers an additional credit line for consolidation and payment of outstanding loan balances.
“Those who could avail this are the active members, permanent or non-permanent. With at least three months in service, they could avail a one-month equivalent of their salary loans to the maximum,” GSIS-Pampanga Frontline Services Division Acting Officer 1 Michelle Reyes shared.
Under MPL, borrowers may apply for up to 14 times their basic monthly salary not exceeding PhP3 million with an interest rate of seven to eight percent payable for three or seven years.
Aside from these, GSIS opened the Computer Loan program which allows qualified members to borrow P30,000 for purchase of desktop or laptop computers.
“We aim to assist members and their families in buying computer units for their online work or for the virtual classes of their children,” Reyes said.
The payment term for the said loan program is three years with an interest rate of 6 percent per year, with the monthly amortization deducted from the borrower’s salary.
Additionally, GSIS announced the Educational Loan Program which is a P20-billion study-now-pay-later program for the college education of the members’ kin.
“This requires that the members have 15-year length of service in the government. They can nominate up to two-student beneficiaries enrolled in a four- or five-year course,” she said.
In this loan program, the maximum amount that may be borrowed is P100,000 per academic year covering tuition and other fees payable for ten years with an 8 percent interest rate. — Jag Lyra Costamero/PIA-3
