The Manila Times

GSIS allows online reporting of pensioners

- ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES

STATE pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said it will now allow the online reporting of pensioners as an alternativ­e method to the yearly personal appearance requiremen­t or annual pensioners informatio­n revalidati­on (APIR).

“Pensioners may report to GSIS through Viber, Facebook ( FB) Messenger, Skype or Zoom after they have emailed the requiremen­ts for APIR. This contactles­s method will protect them from possible Covid- 19 [ coronaviru­s disease 2019] transmissi­on as well as ensure the continuous receipt of their pension,” GSIS President and General Manager Rolando

Ledesma Macasaet said in a statement on Monday.

“Complying with online APIR is simple and easy. On their birth month, pensioners must email only two documents to GSIS: a letter requesting GSIS to activate their status and a photo of their unified multipurpo­se ID ( UMID) or temporary eCard, or, in the absence of both, two valid IDs. The letter must indicate the date of request and the pensioner’s complete name, address, contact number and signature,” he said.

He noted, however, that surviving spouses will need to email a self- declaratio­n that

they have not remarried or cohabited with another person.

“The form is downloadab­le on our website, www. gsis. gov. ph. In the same manner, permanent disability pensioners must submit the original copy of the annual Medical Progress Report,” Macasaet said.

Pensioners must email the documents to the designated email address of the handling GSIS office.

Three days after receiving the request, GSIS will email an acknowledg­ement letter to the pensioner. It will also inform the pensioner of the details of the interview including the date, time and social media applicatio­n or video conferenci­ng software to be used in the ensuing interview with GSIS.

Pensioners will be given the option to choose the videoconfe­rencing mode they prefer — Viber, FB Messenger, Skype or Zoom.

GSIS said online APIR is also recommende­d for pensioners who are 80 years old and above, those who are sick, disabled or have health issues affecting their mobility.

“We are constantly finding ways to harness technology to make transactin­g with GSIS convenient and safe for our members and pensioners,” Macasaet said.

Pensioners and other individual­s who have inquiries on online APIR may visit the GSIS website, www. gsis. gov. ph; GSIS Facebook Page, @ gsis. ph; or call the GSIS Contact Center at 8847- 4747 ( if in Metro Manila) or 1- 800- 8- 847- 4747 ( for Globe and TM subscriber­s) and 1- 800- 10- 847- 4747 ( for Smart, Sun, and Talk ‘ N Text subscriber­s).

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