GSIS pursues sweeping reforms to safeguard pensions, expand services

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is carrying out reforms to protect pensions and modernize services, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s call for integrity, prudent investment, and innovation.

The initiatives include sweeping pension changes and digital upgrades designed to improve the welfare of members and retirees.

At the Sept. 10 ceremonial launch of the Social Security System’s Pension Reform Program, Marcos directed both GSIS and the SSS to preserve members’ trust, invest responsibly, and expand access through digital platforms and outreach in remote areas.

“Let us protect the lifetime of work that our pensioners have built for themselves and for our country,” Marcos said.

Key reforms unveiled

GSIS Officer in Charge Juliet Bautista said the agency has already implemented wide-ranging measures:

• Removal of the survivorship pension cap. Surviving spouses now receive the full 50 percent of their partner’s pension, regardless of amount. The previous ceiling was tied to an undersecretary’s salary.
• Abolition of the cohabitation rule. Survivorship pensions are no longer suspended if beneficiaries live with another partner. Only remarriage terminates benefits.
• Relaxed Christmas cash gift rules. Pensioners who miss the April deadline for Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation (APIR) will still qualify once they eventually complete the requirement.
• Full digitization. Applications for retirement pensions, APIR, and loan services are now available via the GSIS Touch app, eliminating the need for in-person visits.
• Investment review. The GSIS Board of Trustees is revisiting its investment policies to strengthen governance, risk management, and sustainability.

“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 in Pasay City.

National Pensioners’ Week

From Sept. 8 to 12, GSIS and SSS held activities nationwide in partnership with government agencies and senior citizens’ groups. The programs include health and wellness drives, livelihood projects, recognition ceremonies, and financial literacy sessions to highlight the government’s pledge to improve pensioners’ welfare.

“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,” Bautista said. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma