IN relation to a 2009 study by Phillippa Lally and her team at the University College of London,which stipulates that it will take 66 days (not 21 days) to establish new automatic behaviors; our more than a year “on and off” community lockdowns will definitely bring to light a “NEW NORMAL” in our social and personal manners and activities.

Following the financial crisis of 2007-2008, which brought the 2008-2012 global recession, the term “NEW NORMAL” was coined to present the possible economic and sociological changes that may occur due to the crisis. Today, the term has since been used in a variability of other circumstances to imply that something which was previously atypical has become commonplace.

The question now is, “What will normal look like?” Well, for State pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) it is now urging pensioners to do their transactions online such as compliance with the online Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation (APIR) and loan applications to protect them from COVID-19 infection.

“Kaligtasan, kalusugan, at kaginhawaan ng aming pensioners ang priority ng GSIS lalo na ngayong may pandemya. Since last year, we have put in place online methods of transacting with us so that our pensioners need not leave their homes and do it any time, any day,” GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet announced.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) also issued Resolution No. 100 directing “pension-issuing agencies to adopt alternative modes of validation for senior citizen pensioners in lieu of personal appearances or submission of documents” starting March 1 especially with the various COVID-19 variants’ entry into the country.

GSIS pensioners must renew their active status by complying with APIR on their birth month to ensure the continuous receipt of their pension and if applicable, the grant of milestone benefits and their availment of the Enhanced Pension Loan. Through APIR, only qualified pensioners are paid the monthly pension, safeguarding the viability of the fund in the process.

“Magpadala lang po kayo ng text o email request sa inyongGSIS handling branch para sa online APIR schedule kung nasaPilipinas kayo. Para sa mga nasa abroad, magpadala ng request sa email address na [email protected] o sa GSIS Skype Appointment System na nasa aming website,” explained PGM Macasaet in lieu of personally going to any GSIS office or using the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (GWAPS) kiosk.

Those who were previously being home-visited yearly due to advanced age (80 years old and above), sickness, disability, or other health issues affecting their mobility must now request their online APIR schedule through email or text to eliminate the risk for both GSIS pensioners and employees.

Pensioners or their representatives must indicate in the text or email request the pensioner’s name, birthday, preferred online channel for the APIR interview (if Facebook messenger, Viber, Skype or Zoom). The following requirements must also be emailed: 1.Photo of their UMID, temporary eCard Plus or in its absence at least two (2) valid government issued IDs (original to be presented during the interview); 2. If a survivorship pensioner, duly accomplished Self-Declaration of Surviving Spouse Form (on Non-Marriage/Non-Cohabitation; download form from GSIS website, www.gsis.gov.ph); 3. If a disability pensioner, a copy of the annual Medical Progress Report.

GSIS pensioners may also apply for the Enhanced Pension Loan and Pensioners’ Emergency Loan online via the eGSISMO(online facility found in GSIS’s website) or email to their handling branch.

For further inquiries you may visit the GSIS website, www.gsis.gov.ph or GSIS Facebook page, @gsis.ph; email [email protected]; 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. To view the full list of designated email addresses and mobile numbers of all GSIS branches and extension offices nationwide, visit https://www.gsis.gov.ph/downloads.

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For any personal comments or suggestions, you may call 0917-4805585 or email me at [email protected].