TO protect pensioners from COVID-19 infection, State pension fund Government Service Insurance System is urging pensioners to do their transactions online such as compliance with the online Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation (APIR) and loan applications.

“Kaligtasan, kalusugan, at kaginhawaan ng aming pensioners ang priority ng GSIS lalo na ngayong may pandemya,” GSIS said.

“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,” said GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet.

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 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 inyong GSIS handling branch para sa online APIR schedule kung nasa Pilipinas 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 Macasaet in lieu of personally going to any GSIS office or using the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System or 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 comments, please call or text 09569012811 or email [email protected]