The Government Service Insurance System has affirmed its full support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for integrity, prudent investment, and modernization in service delivery, rolling out sweeping pension reforms and digital innovations to improve the welfare of its members and retirees.
President Marcos directed both GSIS and the Social Security System (SSS) to guard members’ trust with vigilance, invest wisely, and modernize their systems during the ceremonial launch of the SSS Pension Reform Program yesterday. He stressed that services must be made accessible not only through digital platforms and help desks but also in the most remote communities.
“Let us protect the lifetime of work that our pensioners have built for themselves and for our country,” the President said.
GSIS Officer in Charge Juliet Bautista assured that GSIS is already carrying out these directives through a series of major reforms:
- Removal of the survivorship pension cap. Surviving spouses now receive the full 50 percent of their partner’s pension, regardless of amount. Previously, this benefit was capped at the salary of an Undersecretary, limiting the support families could receive.
- Abolition of the cohabitation rule. Survivorship pensions are no longer suspended if the beneficiary lives with another partner. Termination of pension now only applies if the pensioner remarries,ensuring beneficiaries are not unfairly deprived of income.
- Relaxed rules on the Christmas Cash Gift. Pensioners who fail to complete their Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation (APIR) by April are no longer disqualified from receiving the gift. As long as APIR is completed, even after April, the benefit remains intact.
- Full digitization of pension applications. Retirees can now apply for their pension through the GSIS Touch app without the need to visit GSIS offices. This app also allows members and pensioners to complete APIR, apply for loans, and access other services anytime, anywhere.
- Review of investment policies. The GSIS Board of Trustees is currently reviewing its investment policies to further align them with the principles of sound governance, risk management, and sustainable growth. This is to ensure that members’ contributions are invested wisely and remain secure while delivering long-term value for future generations.
“These reforms are not just changes in rules. They are statements of our commitment to make our systems more humane, responsive, and inclusive,” Bautista said during the National Pensioners’ Day program at the GSIS Theater in Pasay City. “Through these reforms and digital platforms, we are making services faster, easier, and more accessible because our pensioners deserve retirement years marked by dignity, security, and ginhawa.”
Throughout the National Pensioners’ Week from September 8 to 12, GSIS and SSS, in partnership with government agencies and senior citizens’ organizations, are mounting activities nationwide including forums, health and wellness programs, livelihood initiatives, recognition ceremonies, and financial literacy campaigns. These programs highlight the government’s commitment to safeguard the welfare of pensioners and ensure that reforms directly benefit them.
