GSIS mess: Where lies the problem?
Grio
Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Regional Manager Angela G. Grio supports the implementation of the electronic card better known as “e-card.” She remains unperturbed despite the overwhelming reluctance and protest of the pensioners particularly the teachers, regular flaks from the media and a looming legal test case by at least 23 Ilonggo lawyers.
In an exclusive interview with this writer last week the lady executive gave her side and insights of the issues against the GSIS.
On the long-delayed pensions suffered by thousands of retirees she said the bottom line is their failure to secure the required card. Grio added that effective last January this year all monetary claims can only be withdrawn thru the e-card which also serves as Automatic Teller Machine (ATM). This is also used in all other transactions with GSIS. All claims are temporarily suspended without the card, she stressed.
A totally blind retiree Pablo Gaster who is in his past 90s from Mandurriao, Iloilo complained that he has not received his pensions the past four months now including his '06 Christmas bonus. He was assured that a mobile electronic photo machine of the office to process his card will be soon sent, along with other disabled retirees staying both in the city and in the municipalities. The case of Gaster, a former public school teacher, is not an isolated one.
Another former faculty member of the West Visayas State University (WVSU) who requested anonymity rattled loudly that she has already an e-card but has still to receive her back pensions and the '06 Christmas bonus. She has followed up her case but was referred from one section to another of the GSIS with negative results. She was mad and blamed President Arroyo for her plight and that of her peers.
Regarding the near-stampede last Feb. 5 documented by ABS-CBN TV news crew and shown in their evening newscast Grio lamented that the crowd rushed to secure their cards as their pensions stopped. “We have programmed them by groups of 80s as the machine can only process that number a day. Unfortunately, our machine bogged down last Feb. 1 and 2. The two groups joined the Feb. 5 group and it created a thick crowd.”
An eyewitness to the incident, a lady retiree who begged not to be named narrated that not a single notice of rescheduling or instruction to the public what to do was posted anywhere in the walls and offices of the building. There was no one to explain except the lone security guard who was reduced to carry accomplished forms from one office to another. The guard said he did not know anything other than what he was instructed to do.
As a result the old and even the sick ones with their chaperons squeezed thru the narrow hallway of the 4th floor where processing takes place. The confused, angry and hungry public were trapped to back out.
On the lack of information dissemination and personnel Grio clarified that update of their policies and requirements are aired weekly over a local radio program. She also pointed out that her office services 10,000 pensioners of which about 400 are disabled. Staff complement is 70. The Antique Satellite Office is only an extension of the GSIS Iloilo Field Office with limited functions.
On the other hand, Grio wishes to remind all retirees to report personally yearly to the office preferably before their respective birth dates. The sick and the disabled will be visited by a team from the office. She explained that this is a part of the mandated “cleansing” by the management to monitor pensioners.
As to the rumor that Survivorship Pension will be abolished, she dismissed the idea that there is such a plan. However Employees Compensation (EC) was already dissolved.
“Like other entities there is no perfect system but we at the GSIS are truly committed to improve our system thru computerization,” she concluded.