GSIS pensioners get Christmas cash gift

By Joanna P. Diaz-Sabado

SAN FERNANDO CITY – Maria Avena, a 95-year-old retired teacher from Aringay town, just received her Christmas cash gift along with her monthly Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) pension.
    She was among the 330,496 old-age and disability pensioners of the state-owned GSIS who are receiving their cash gift through electronic cards.
    Receiving the amount same as her monthly pension through her e-card,  
    “This Christmas bonus means a lot to me to buy my essentials, medicines and my adult milk as health supplement,” Lola Avena said in the vernacular.
    “Every year, I look forward to receiving this additional amount from GSIS as truly a Christmas cash gift,” she added.  
    According to GSIS, qualified pensioners who received a cash gift of P10,000.00 and below in 2019 are granted the same amount as their one-month pension up to a maximum of P10,000.00.
    Meanwhile, pensioners whose 2019 Christmas gift was above P10,000 are similarly receiving the same one-month pension up to P12,600.
    Pensioners who resumed their regular monthly pension after Dec. 31, 2019, after the five-year guaranteed period, are receiving a one-month pension up to a maximum of P10,000.00.
    Eligible to receive the Christmas cash gift are age-old and disability pensioners under Republic Act (RA) 8291, Presidential Decree 1146, and Republic Act 660 who are receiving their regular monthly pensions and who are still living as of Nov. 30 this year. 
    The GSIS reminds though that those not eligible for the Christmas cash gift are survivorship pensioners, dependent pensioners, pensioners under RA 7699 or the Portability Law, and those receiving pro-rata pension.
    For more information regarding GSIS cash gift, pensioners may contact GSIS through the following:  1-800-8-847-4747 (for Globe and TM subscribers), and 1-800-10-847-4747 (for Smart, Sun, and Talk ‘N Text subscribers). – PIA La Union