MANILA Mayor Isko Moreno assured retiring employes of the Manila City Hall that they will get the benefits due them from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), as the current local government has resolved the problem it had inherited.

“Nagulantang ako na ang pera ninyong pinaghirapan, nakalawit ng ibang tao. That is not acceptable to me. You dedicated your life to be of service…may utang pala ang City Hall sa GSIS. Kung kami ay di nagre-remit ng share sa GSIS, ang epekto nito, kawawa ang empleyado ng gobyerno lalo na yung mga magre-retiro kaya’t pilit nating itinama ang pagkakamali,” Moreno said.

“Wag kayong kabahan dahil bayad na ang GSIS ng mga retiring bagamat di ako ang me gawa (ng problema),” Moreno added, adding he is very proud to have a city treasurer in the person of Jasmin Talegon, whom he is always out to protect the interests and benefits of the city employees.

Moreno, along with city administrator Felix Espiritu and city personnel office head Jo Quintos, led in the recognition of the loyalty awardees at the City Hall’s inner court, composed of employees who have served from 30 years or more.

He expressed gratitude to the GSIS which he said agreed not only to give a discount but also to make the city government of Manila pay on a staggered basis, with the assurance that those who will retire will be given the benefits due them even while the city is not yet fully paid.

It will be recalled that when Moreno assumed office last year, it was discovered that the city government owed the GSIS some P195 million.

In November last year, Quintos and Talegon worked out a memorandum of agreement. The city government was able to save over P68.4 million after the GSIS agreed to reduce the amount of Manila’s debt from P195 to P126 million.

The mayor said it is the least they in the city government can do for the employees whom, he said deserve to reap the fruits of their labor for 20 or 30 years in government service.

In his message, Moreno asked the employes who will remain to continue helping the city government regain its former glory and excel in their chosen fields of undertaking.

“There was a time when this city was so great… in the 60s.. that everyone wanted to go here. Napag-iwanan tayo ng mga sitio pero me habol pa ang Maynila. Di pa tapos ang laban at ‘yan ang obligasyon nating lahat.. na itaguyod muli ang bandila ng siyudad ng Maynila,” said Moreno.

The mayor appealed to the employees to give their best in public service so that in the future, they can tell their descendants that whatever progress the city had achieved, they were once part of it.

Moreno also called on them to offer prayers for their co-workers who succumbed to the coronavirus disease and consider themselves lucky that amid the pandemic, they continue to be assured of jobs and continuing salaries.

For her part, Quintos commended those who have served the city government amid the pandemic, specially the mayor whose efforts brought Manila to greater heights.

Quintos said those who had been serving for decades deserve to be recognized as she called on those who will remain in public service to serve as good examples to new employes to become the best public servants.

According to Quintos, the awardees comrprised of the following: 30 years – 93 awardees who received P8,000 each; 35 years – 44 awardees, P9,000 each; 40 years – 20 awardees , P10,000 each and over 40 years- three awardees, P10,000 each.