GSIS pensioner's Christmas cash gifts released on December 15

MANILA, Philippines — Old-age and disability pensioners will enjoy their Christmas cash gifts from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) starting Dec. 15, the state pension fund announced yesterday.

In a statement, GSIS chairman and acting president Rolando Macasaet said the pension fund has allocated P3.12 billion for the release of Christmas cash gifts to its pensioners this year.

“We know that our 324,348 pensioners are looking forward to the GSIS Christmas cash gift which they fondly call their Christmas bonus. Thus, we made sure that it will be credited to their e-card a few days before Christmas Day so they can spend it in celebrating this joyous occasion with their families,” Macasaet added.

Active old-age and disability pensioners who are receiving their regularly monthly pension and are still living as of Nov. 30, 2019 are entitled to receive the cash gift, according to the GSIS.

The state pension fund said suspended pensioners as of Nov. 30 are also eligible to receive the gift, provided they activate their status on or before April 30 next year.

“Pensioners whose 2018 Christmas cash gift was above P10,000 will receive an amount equivalent to one month current pension up to a maximum of P12,600,” it said.

“On the other hand, those whose 2018 Christmas cash gift was P10,000 and below will be granted one month current pension up to a maximum of P10,000,” it added.

Not qualified to receive the cash gift are basic survivorship pensioners, dependent pensioners, pensioners under Republic Act (RA) 7699 (Portability Law) and those receiving pro-rata pension.

Retirees who received their advance guaranteed pensions in the form of lump sums, and who will be resuming their regular monthly pensions after Dec. 31, are also not entitled to the benefit, according to the GSIS.

Likewise, it said new retirees from 2015 to 2019 who availed themselves of immediate pension under RA 8291 will not yet receive the cash gift this year.

The state pension fund added that members who resigned or separated from government service from 2006 to 2019 before reaching age 60, and who started receiving their regular monthly pension between 2015 and 2019, will receive the cash gift once they have been regular pensioners for at least five years.

SSS maternity benefits process eased

Meanwhile, state-run Social Security System (SSS) yesterday said it has eased the requirements and procedures for the processing of maternity benefit claims, following the implementation of the Expanded Maternity Leave Law (EMLL).

SSS president and chief executive officer Aurora Ignacio said the state pension fund has issued the new guidelines, which will cover maternity benefits claims for every delivery, miscarriage and emergency termination of pregnancy (ETP) that occurred on or after March 11, 2019.

“These new service procedures and standards, fitted to the provisions of the EMLL, are designed to expedite maternity benefit processing while still ensuring that there will be no fraudulent claims,” Ignacio said.

Under the new rules, the SSS has simplified the number of documentary requirements for those seeking to avail themselves of maternity benefits.

For one, additional documents indicating the type of delivery – whether normal or cesarean – will no longer be required, according to the SSS.

It said it would no longer return applications with minor discrepancies or inconsistencies, as long as the member’s identity can be established within them.

Members applying for their maternity benefits are given the option to either update or retain their maiden names.

“Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) members in apostille countries now have the efficient and less costly option of submitting supporting documents issued with an apostille by the foreign ministry, embassy or consulate general, in substitute of authentication from the Philippine embassy or consulate general,” the state fund said.

It added that it also eased the maternity reimbursement process for members who did not return to work.

Solo parents, meanwhile, are required to present their solo parent identification or a certification of eligibility for them to be granted an additional 15 days of leave, pursuant to the EMLL.

In addition to these improvements, the SSS said it has also started accepting maternity applications for self-employed, voluntary, OFW and non-working spouse members through digital channels, such as the SSS mobile app or website.

“With these new guidelines in place, we hope our members and their employers may conveniently access our maternity benefit program,” Ignacio said.

Maternity benefit disbursements in the first half of 2019 grew 22.55 percent to P4.13 billion from P3.37 billion in the same period last year, according to data from the SSS.

The number of maternity benefits granted by the state fund also rose by 15 percent year-on-year, reaching over 180,000 as of end-June.

The increase came after the enactment of RA 11210 or the EMLL, which extended the compensable period for maternity benefit from 60 or 78 days to 105 days, covering child delivery, miscarriage, and emergency termination of pregnancy, starting March 11, 2019.