Questions for GSIS

 “I always read your column which I access online,” our balikbayan friend from America greeted me when we met.

Even before I could say a proper thank you, he continued, “please write in your column my question asking Mr. Winston Garcia about the so-called P1 billion of OUR (emphasis his) GSIS contributions that he allegedly gave to Malacañang. Why did he not give this amount instead to the members/contributors?”

So I promised that I will write about his question as well as other questions raised by several other government employees for Mr. Winston Garcia and GSIS.

Accounting of GSIS funds

1. How much money has been collected by GSIS through the years?

2. What are the detailed yearly expenses of GSIS?

3. What about savings? If the GSIS is able to invest in Meralco, then the members/contributors are very sure GSIS has savings enough not only to invest in big-time businesses but to buy expensive art items as well.

4. Where and how can the ordinary GSIS contributor get a certified copy of the GSIS funds across the years?

Salaries of GSIS officials and personnel

5. How much salaries do the GSIS officials get?

6. What other perks and privileges do they get aside from their monthly salaries? For example, do the officials receive per diem per meeting? IF yes, how much do they receive per meeting?

7. How many meetings are held per year? How much per diem have been paid to the GSIS officials for meetings across the years?

8. What are the monthly salaries of the rest of the GSIS personnel ( both permanent and temporary/casual)?

9. Please also include the salaries of the janitors and guards.

10. How much bonuses do the GSIS officials and personnel receive throughout the year?

11. Aside from the monthly salaries and mandated bonuses, what other incentives do the GSIS officials and personnel receive?

12. Again, where and how does an ordinary GSIS member/contributor get a certified copy of the salaries, bonuses and incentives paid to the GSIS officials and personnel?

Decision-making process of GSIS

13. Aside from the much-publicized Meralco stocks, where else did GSIS invest and donate the members/contributors’ funds?

14. Again, is it possible to publicly access the type, amount, and date of investments and donations made by GSIS using the contributors’ funds?

15. What is the process involved in the decision about investments and donations? Are the members/contributors consulted about these investments as the GSIS funds belong to the members/contributors?

16. How is the rebate and the amount of pension decided by the GSIS? Again, are the members/ contributors consulted about the system governing the amount, mode of disbursement and other policies related to their pension, rebates, loan amounts and interests?

Other Questions

17. How much has been spent by GSIS for the birthday text message campaign?

18. Is the amount for these text messages as well as for publicity and other media announcements and advertisements taken from the members/contributors? Is GSIS authorized to spend the funds in these manner?

19. What is the legal authority of GSIS to transfer the public funds from members from a government to a private bank?

20. Does GSIS have a record of all complaints from members and the resolution of these complaints for better and more effective service delivery? Again, is it possible to gain public access to these complaints and the reply of GSIS regarding these complaints through the years?

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