GSIS hit for ‘unfair deals and policies’

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – Regional government officials and employees assailed the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) last week for “unfair and questionable, insensitive policies and lack of transparency in its programs and dealing with members.

The Cordillera Regional Development Council here challenged the GSIS to correct issues and concerns raised by 22 government line agencies and two local government units regarding the agency’s operation in the region.

At the same time, the region’s policy-making body requested the Cordillera congressmen and the GSIS to take urgent action to resolve the pressing matters.

Earlier, various line agency heads and local officials raised the alleged unfair and insensible GSIS policies in which issues such as the diminution of GSIS benefits, stoppage of GSIS survivor’s benefits and pensions and increasing premiums collected from government employees with no corresponding improved benefits and services from the agency.

Subsequently, some Cordillera congressmen disclosed the House of Representatives received several complaints on GSIS’ poor operations and services and requested that issues be forwarded to Congress for consideration in the pending laws concerning GSIS or for presentation to GSIS in the legislative deliberations with the agency.

The grievances of GSIS members in the region include accumulation of arrears resulting from delayed posting of remittances or payments as well as non-refund of excess payments.

Regional line agencies and local government units also complained of delayed processing of retirement and separation claims and benefits.

In 2005, the RDC passed a resolution entitled, “Seeking redress for the oppressive treatment of the members and deprivation of benefits due them by the GSIS,” for which no feedback was received to the present.

The RDC also cited the certifications issued by the agencies is not recognized or honored; loan based on uploaded data or information.

The agencies and LGUs claimed suspension of policy loan services for unexplained reasons, an indication that GSIS is not liquid.

The RDC criticized the good advertisement of GSIS but it expressed disappointment over its bad service, thus, the agency is unnecessarily spending millions of pesos of member’s money for useless advertisements and blank ads.

Ironically, policy cash-surrender value is being deducted of loan balance including penalties due to unspotted loan remittance.

The RDC revealed refunds of premiums and arrears are not properly refunded and take a long time before refunds are given or not yet refunded until now.

The agencies and LGUs stated GSIS uploading of premiums and loan amortization is unreliable and that GSIS deducts the unpaid government shares from the policy maturity pay.

Worst, the GSIS was criticized for lack of transparency in all transactions especially in loan payments thereby posing doubt among the members on where there money is being spent.

Recently, the GSIS abandoned its field office in the city and transferred the same to Dagupan City, Pangasinan and what is left here is the so-called receiving office thereby depriving its members excellent and quality service especially in the processing of their loans and pensions.