GSIS e-Card Is Catastrophe
To Pensioners
The Government Insurance System (GSIS) is organized for the "welfare" of the government employees. One of the means the government does is to provide monthly pension for those who retired from the government service upon reaching retirement age and completion of satisfactory service to the government through the GSIS.
However, many former government employees particularly the pensioners are perceiving "the GSIS is making their lives miserable." Instead of promoting their welfare, "the GSIS is making the remaining parts of their lives deplorable".
The latest policy of the GSIS is "no e-Card, no pension". This means that government pensioner will be paid its monthly pension using the e-Card. Any pensioner who has no e-Card, its pension is suspended.
Since the end of World War II, GSIS has been paying its pensioners by checks sent through the postal service. When electronics banking started, GSIS also started paying its pensioners by depositing the equivalent amount of monthly pension to their respective savings bank account, but majority of them are being paid continuously by bank checks.
This December 2006, Mr. Winston F. Garcia, President and General Manager, GSIS sent "Advisory to all GSIS Old Age Pensioners" quoted as follows:
Dear Sir/Madam:
Starting January 1, 2007, your monthly pension will be credited to your GSIS e-Card account. This means that you must use your GSIS e-Card in order to withdraw your monthly pension in any ATM nationwide.
GSIS will no longer use checks to deliver your pensions but will electronically credit them directly to your GSIS e-Card account.
Thereafter, monthly pensions will be credited to your GSIS e-Card account every 1st day of the month.
For pensioners without e-Card, you are now enjoined to enroll at the GSIS Home Office or the nearest GSIS Servicing Office immediately to avoid suspension of your pension payments.
Please be guided accordingly.
(Sgd.) WINSTON F. GARCIA
President and General Manager
This advisory is a catastrophe that hit the petitioners of the members of the Government Retirees Organization (GROL), Inc. and probably all over the Philippines. This is a punch that staggered the GSIS pensioners that will make the twilight of their lives more miserable instead of enjoyable, the basic rationale of the GSIS creation.
Why? The GSIS pension fund is deposited in the Union Bank which has only one branch in Panay and Guimaras Islands located in Iloilo City. Therefore, each GSIS pensioner will get its e-Card in Iloilo City and GSIS, Roxas City. This will oblige each pensioner to travel to either Roxas or Iloilo City who maybe physically handicapped to travel, plus travel expenses that could be used for their food or hospitalization. Since Union Bank is only found in Iloilo City, all pensioners will gather in Iloilo City to withdraw their monthly pension. If they withdrew from other banks, each pensioner will pay P12.00 per withdrawal. Each inquiry will also cost them P2.00. These are a diminution from their only humble amount of pension.
Second, all the pensioners must have reached 70 years or older. At this age, most of them are physically handicapped. Their eye sights maybe blurred, hearing impaired, and quivering hands. Their legs are weak. Even if their minds are strong, their flesh is weak.
And here is Mr. Winston F. Garcia who compels the GSIS pensioners to go to the bank to collect their monthly pension! This "No e-Card, No Pension" policy is more than a super typhoon to strike at government retirees who spent the best part of their lives serving the government.
Perhaps, Mr. Garcia and other GSIS officials will have lots of fun looking with the pensioners queuing with other depositors in a long line to withdraw their money in an ATM booth. Since the PIN number is only known to the e-Card holder, the pensioner may have poor memory, forget it and therefore, just get out of the booth. Due to blurred eye sight and quivering fingers, the pensioner may touch the wrong figures. Once money comes out of ATM, it must be picked out in five (5) seconds or if it lapsed, it will be taken back by the machine. These will surely happen as the pensioners have poor reflexes. Even the e-Card will be captured with any erroneous entry.
Because of physical handicaps, the pensioners will probably stay longer in an ATM booth. Those lining before them to get their turn will get irritated. These will make the pensioners prone to ridicule. Shall we allow this to happen? Shall we allow others to ridicule senior citize?
This "No e-Card, No Pension" GSIS policy is a great mockery to the people who spent the best years of their lives in the government. These pensioners deserve the best treatment so that they may enjoy the remaining years of their lives. To implement this "No e-Card, No Pension" GSIS policy is a worst catastrophe that will make life deplorable or even cut short lives of pensioners for whom the GSIS is created: the welfare of government employees and retirees. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
However, many former government employees particularly the pensioners are perceiving "the GSIS is making their lives miserable." Instead of promoting their welfare, "the GSIS is making the remaining parts of their lives deplorable".
The latest policy of the GSIS is "no e-Card, no pension". This means that government pensioner will be paid its monthly pension using the e-Card. Any pensioner who has no e-Card, its pension is suspended.
Since the end of World War II, GSIS has been paying its pensioners by checks sent through the postal service. When electronics banking started, GSIS also started paying its pensioners by depositing the equivalent amount of monthly pension to their respective savings bank account, but majority of them are being paid continuously by bank checks.
This December 2006, Mr. Winston F. Garcia, President and General Manager, GSIS sent "Advisory to all GSIS Old Age Pensioners" quoted as follows:
Dear Sir/Madam:
Starting January 1, 2007, your monthly pension will be credited to your GSIS e-Card account. This means that you must use your GSIS e-Card in order to withdraw your monthly pension in any ATM nationwide.
GSIS will no longer use checks to deliver your pensions but will electronically credit them directly to your GSIS e-Card account.
Thereafter, monthly pensions will be credited to your GSIS e-Card account every 1st day of the month.
For pensioners without e-Card, you are now enjoined to enroll at the GSIS Home Office or the nearest GSIS Servicing Office immediately to avoid suspension of your pension payments.
Please be guided accordingly.
(Sgd.) WINSTON F. GARCIA
President and General Manager
This advisory is a catastrophe that hit the petitioners of the members of the Government Retirees Organization (GROL), Inc. and probably all over the Philippines. This is a punch that staggered the GSIS pensioners that will make the twilight of their lives more miserable instead of enjoyable, the basic rationale of the GSIS creation.
Why? The GSIS pension fund is deposited in the Union Bank which has only one branch in Panay and Guimaras Islands located in Iloilo City. Therefore, each GSIS pensioner will get its e-Card in Iloilo City and GSIS, Roxas City. This will oblige each pensioner to travel to either Roxas or Iloilo City who maybe physically handicapped to travel, plus travel expenses that could be used for their food or hospitalization. Since Union Bank is only found in Iloilo City, all pensioners will gather in Iloilo City to withdraw their monthly pension. If they withdrew from other banks, each pensioner will pay P12.00 per withdrawal. Each inquiry will also cost them P2.00. These are a diminution from their only humble amount of pension.
Second, all the pensioners must have reached 70 years or older. At this age, most of them are physically handicapped. Their eye sights maybe blurred, hearing impaired, and quivering hands. Their legs are weak. Even if their minds are strong, their flesh is weak.
And here is Mr. Winston F. Garcia who compels the GSIS pensioners to go to the bank to collect their monthly pension! This "No e-Card, No Pension" policy is more than a super typhoon to strike at government retirees who spent the best part of their lives serving the government.
Perhaps, Mr. Garcia and other GSIS officials will have lots of fun looking with the pensioners queuing with other depositors in a long line to withdraw their money in an ATM booth. Since the PIN number is only known to the e-Card holder, the pensioner may have poor memory, forget it and therefore, just get out of the booth. Due to blurred eye sight and quivering fingers, the pensioner may touch the wrong figures. Once money comes out of ATM, it must be picked out in five (5) seconds or if it lapsed, it will be taken back by the machine. These will surely happen as the pensioners have poor reflexes. Even the e-Card will be captured with any erroneous entry.
Because of physical handicaps, the pensioners will probably stay longer in an ATM booth. Those lining before them to get their turn will get irritated. These will make the pensioners prone to ridicule. Shall we allow this to happen? Shall we allow others to ridicule senior citize?
This "No e-Card, No Pension" GSIS policy is a great mockery to the people who spent the best years of their lives in the government. These pensioners deserve the best treatment so that they may enjoy the remaining years of their lives. To implement this "No e-Card, No Pension" GSIS policy is a worst catastrophe that will make life deplorable or even cut short lives of pensioners for whom the GSIS is created: the welfare of government employees and retirees. /MP mailto:madyaas_pen@yahoo.com
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