Complaint Desk put up against GSIS
Public sector employees here are up against how the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is gambling with their funds. Disgruntled, government employees under Protect our Funds! (PROFUND) – Panay will set up a complaint desk staring October 20 at the lobby of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, Iloilo City.
In a statement, Profund lead convener Mr. Alton Alvior expressed great concern about the status of the contributions of thousands of government employees at GSIS. "We fear that when we will retire, there will be no more funds available for us," lamented Alvior
Aside from the mismanagement and corruption of our funds, Profund learned that there are many exposures of the GSIS fund to the international stock market which have remained undisclosed. Stock markets now continue to fall amidst the global financial crisis.
"We cannot afford to see government employees losing hope without staging a legitimate struggle to protect our money and our very own contribution to the GSIS. Delayed pensions for the retirees, delayed posting of our contributions and loan payments, and bloated loans which we haven’t availed after all are just some of the many lists of agonizing experiences that we encountered with the GSIS," added Alvior.
Last month, hundreds of government employees, health workers, and teachers marched along the major streets of Iloilo City to protest the irregularities and mismanagement of GSIS. They also demanded for the ouster of Mr. Winston Garcia, the GSIS president.
"It is our hope that thousands of public sector employees will visit our complaint desk and file their respective complaints against GSIS. This is a nationwide effort of concerned public sector employees and we hope to file appropriate actions so that we can avail of better benefits and improved services with our funds intact at the GSIS," added Irma Espinosa, regional coordinator of Confederation for Unity, Recognition, and Advancement of Government Employees [COURAGE] – Region VI.
"We also hold the Arroyo government accountable for what is happening with our funds at the GSIS. The government remained deaf, blind, and silent over these issues. It is high time for us to do bolder steps so that we can be heard and attended to," added Espinosa.