GSIS Benefits, Loans, And Online Services: A Newbie’s Guide

10 min read By eCompareMo on June 14, 2019

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is a social insurance institution that is exclusively for the employees who work in government offices. It is the counterpart to the Social Security System (SSS) for private employees and other types of earners.

Making inquiries about government services can be a hassle, that’s why we are presenting here a comprehensive GSIS guide to processes, privileges, and whatnot.

What is the GSIS?

GSIS is a trust created as a directive by Commonwealth Act No. 186 and Republic Act No. 8291, also known as the GSIS Act of 1997. Both managed and owned by the government, it was patterned to take monthly contributions from its members and provide an array of corresponding benefits that protect the members from contingencies.

The upper management of GSIS oversees all the policies, processes, and expenses. This is called the Board of Trustees, and each member was selected by the President of the Philippines. Under their wings are 3,104 employees that make up the whole workforce.

Forty-eight percent are working in the branches and 52% are designated in the Head Office. GSIS serves with 42 branches, 14 extension offices, and 58 help desks.

Who are the GSIS members?

This trust is for the government employees only, with the following exceptions:

• Judiciary and Constitutional Commissions associates granted with different retirement privileges.
• AFP and PNP (and the Bureau of Jail Management & Penology and the Bureau of Fire Protection) members in uniform.
• Barangay and Sanggunian officials don’t have fixed wage per month
• Contractual employees

What are the types of GSIS Membership?

• Active Members are the individuals currently employed in any government office.
• Old Age Pensioners are the government officials or employees who are already retired and receiving the returns of their contributions (pension) from GSIS.
• Survivorship Pensioners are the dependents of a retiree or deceased GSIS member.

(Read: Personal Loans For Government Employees In The Philippines: A Comprehensive Guide)

Main GSIS benefits

Generally, GSIS provides members with life insurance, disability privileges, and retirement plans. However, the benefits for each member vary according to their type of membership, amount of contributions, and account history.

1. GSIS Life Insurance Coverage

All GSIS members are required to have life insurance coverage. There are two types offered.

A. Life Endowment Policy (LEP)

LEP is the old policy wherein GSIS started with. It gives insurance coverage for active members who started working for the government before August 1, 2003. The maturity of the policy entails specific benefits, which are:

• Maturity benefit
• Cash surrender value
• Death benefit
• Policy loan
• Dividends

LEP policyholders can choose to convert their policy to an Enhanced Life Policy which we will discuss further.

B. Enhanced Life Policy (ELP)

ELP gives annual insurance coverage based on an employee’s salary per month. You are automatically covered by this policy if you are:

1. A member with an old policy (LEP) that matured on/after July 31, 2003, and continue to be an active member after the maturity date
2. An employee who started working in the government after July 31, 2003
3. You are a new member of GSIS

The policy holders will receive:

• Policy loan
• Dividends
• Death benefits (for the family of deceased GSI member)
• Cash Termination Value (can be withdrawn upon retirement or separation from service)

2. GSIS Retirement Programs

GSIS offers options of retirement plans according to your age and years of service.

A. Retirement under Republic Act 660

Also known as Magic 87, this plan is available if:

(your age) + (years of service) = 87

Members can choose from these three options:

• Initial 3-year lump sum
• Automatic pension
• 5-year lump sum

B. Retirement under Republic Act 8291

This plan grants:

• An instant pension (5-year lump sum cash payment)
• Monthly pension for life

You are eligible for this plan if you are:

1. At least 60 years old upon retirement
2. In service for at least 15 years
3. Continuously working in the last 3 years of your service

C. Retirement under Republic Act 1616

Eligible for this program are those employees who have served the government for at least 20 years, regardless of the employment status and member’s age. This plan gives:

• Gratuity payment from the employer
• Refund of all your GSIS premiums

D. Retirement under Republic Act 1616

This retirement program is available to the employees who have been in government service within June 1, 1997 to June 23, 1997. The option includes:

• Basic monthly pension
• OR cash payment

E. Retirement under Republic Act 7699

This lets you combine your length of service with GSIS and SSS to be eligible for retirement plans granted by both pension funds.

(Read: Beyond Pensions And Loans: 3 Government Savings Programs To Check Out)

3. GSIS Separation Benefits

This is given to those who are separated from service but have not reached the age of 60. Benefits can take the form of cash payment or a combination of cash payment and pension.

A. The member (below 60 years of age) has rendered service for a minimum of three years but less than 15 years:

Cash payment = 100% of the average salary in the last three years (Average Monthly Compensation) for every year of service payable on reaching the age of 60.

B. The member (below 60 years of age) has rendered service for a minimum of 15 years:

Cash payment = 18 times of the Basic Monthly Pension payable on reaching the age of 60.

BMP is calculated as (.025) x (AMC +700) x Period with Paid Premiums

Other GSIS Privileges

1.GSIS Unemployment Benefits

You can claim this benefit if you fit ALL the following criteria:

• A permanent government employee
• Paid the mandatory contributions under Republic Act 8291 for 12 months
• Involuntarily separated from work (abolition of position/office reorganization)
• The benefits you will receive are:
• Monthly cash payment equal to 50% of the average monthly compensation
• The duration of the pension depends on the length of service rendered (range: two months to a maximum of six months)

2. GSIS Disability Benefits

This program targets those employees who suffered disability that results to loss of income because of the inability to work. The benefits vary from case to case, but there are three categories of disability that GSIS determine.

A. Permanent Total Disability (PTD) This refers to the disability caused by an injury or disease resulting to complete, incurable, and permanent incapacity.

B. Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) This is for those who suffered a complete and permanent disability that prevents or stops an employee from work for a certain duration of time.

C. Temporary Total Disability (TTD) This category refers to any injury, impairment, or illness that can be healed to normal functions but resulting in temporary disengagement with occupation activities.

The benefits for each category vary as do the conditions applied. For more details about the injury or impairment and its corresponding Disability benefits, please refer to the GSIS website.

3. GSIS Survivorship Benefits

These are cash payment and/or pension given to the family of a deceased GSIS member. The beneficiaries could be:

• Spouse (if not remarried)
• Dependent minor children
• Incapacitated beneficiary

4. GSIS Funeral Benefits

GSIS grants P30,000 cash to the deceased members.

Who are covered by this cash grant?

• An active member
• An old age pensioner
• A member separated from the service but eligible to a retirement plan or severance pay
• A member who retired under RA 1616 (with a minimum of 20 years in service, regardless of age) before RA 8291 took effect.
• A retiree (being pensionable under RA 8291 but chosen to retire under RA 1616)

Who can claim among the family of the deceased?

The claimant is prioritized according to this hierarchy of family members:

1. Legitimate spouse
2. Legitimate child who paid for the expenses of the funeral services
3. Any person with veritable proof of spending for the funeral expenses

What are the requirements?

A. For legal spouse:

• Death Certificate from the National Statistics Office (original copy)
• Marriage Contract from NSO (original copy)
• Two government-issued IDs (original AND photocopy)
• Authenticated Birth Certificate of the claimant (for death and survivorship benefits, if applicable)

B. For legitimate children:

• Death Certificate from the National Statistics Office (original copy)
• GSIS Affidavit of Funeral Expense Form
• Official Receipt under the claimant’s name or a Certification from the memorial service provider of the funeral service (original AND photocopy)
• Two government-issued IDs (original AND photocopy)
• Birth certificate of the claimant or government-issued ID with the claimant’s date of birth

If the claimant is either a member or pensioner of GSIS, there’s no need for them to present their birth certificate.

5. GSIS Employee Compensation

This package is provided to the employee (or dependents) to repay any work-related injury, ailment, impairment, or death.

NOTE: EC is mainly from the employer and no employees contribute to the program as told under Presidential Decree No. 626.

6. GSIS Scholarship Grants

A scholarship program is given to the children of GSIS members with low income. Every academic year, qualified scholars are selected to receive:

• P200,000 tuition
• Miscellaneous fees every semester
• Allowance of P2000 every month

You may refer to the GSIS website how to avail the scholarship.

(Read: LANDBANK iAccess Enrollment And Services: A Quick Guide)

GSIS Service Loans

1. Consolidated Loan

This is also known as Enhanced Conso-Loan Plus Program as the result of the combined five types of loans.

What are the GSIS consolidated loans?

• Salary Loan
• Restructured Salary Loan
• Enhanced Salary Loan
• Emergency Loan Assistance, and
• Summer One-Month Salary

The consolidation fully liquidates the outstanding balances, penalties, and surcharges. The latter two will be subjected to waiving.

What are the new credit limits in Conso-loan?

This is the new table for credit limits of members according to their length of service.

Who are qualified for GSIS conso-loans?

1. Active members of GSIS, either permanent or not, can avail this program if the following conditions are met:
   • Not on leave of absence without pay
   • No pending criminal and administrative case
   • With a net salary not less than the minimum amount after the repayment is lessened (as indicated in the General Appropriations Act)
   • Should have a strict minimum of P15,000 loanable amount computed
2. Prosecutors, judiciary, and constitutional commission members can also avail the loan that is 10 times their basic pay.

2. Policy Loan

This program allows the members to avail their life insurance policy

What is the interest rate of the GSIS Policy loan?

It comes with 8% interest rate, and two options to pay:

• Repayment per month
• Raking away the amount from the existing insurance policy

Who are eligible for the Policy loan?

• Insured for a minimum of one year
• Have premium payments (up to date, including active policies)

3. Emergency Loan

This loan is granted to GSIS members affected by calamities, if the area is declared to such adverse condition by the government (Sangguniang Panlalawigan/Panglungsod, NDRRMC).

How much is the GSIS Emergency Loan?

A member can get P20,000 loan that can be paid in three years or 36 installments per month. The interest rate is 6% per year. Renewal of the loan will result to the deduction of the previous balance to the amount of the new loan proceeds.

How do you qualify as an applicant for emergency loan?

To be eligable, a member should be:

• An employee or resident in the calamity-hit area
• Active, not on unpaid LO
• Has no past due payment of the insurance contributions
• No record of loan nonrepayment

How do you apply for GSIS Service Loans?

Application may be done through GWAPS (GSIS Wireless Automated System). The kiosks can be found in:

• All GSIS branches
• Extension offices
• Provincial capitols
• City halls
• Selected municipal offices
• Several government agencies (like DepEd)
• Selected Robinsons Malls

The authorized officers will confirm your application, and then the system will credit the loan proceeds to the GSIS e-Card or UMID card of the member.

How long does it take to apply for GSIS Loan Privileges?

From five days, GSIS reduced it to three days.

(Read: In Case Of Emergency: Where To Get Calamity Loans And How To Apply For Them)

GSIS online or eGSISMO

In 2016, GSIS launched its official online website so that its members can view their account on the internet. It saves you time from traveling to the office and waiting in lines. This convenience is called Electronic GSIS Member Online.

What is the use of eGSISMO?

This online facility can only be accessed by members based in the Philippines. Through the web or your phone, they can view your personal information on GSIS system such as:

• Membership profile
• Service records
• Premium payments
• Statement of loan accounts
• Status of claims

What are the steps in GSIS online registration?

1. Go online and visit www.egsismo.gsis.gov.ph.
2. Click on the ‘Sign Up’ button.
3. Input your GSIS business partner (BP) number. You can get your BP number from an authorized officer in any GSIS office or the electronic remittance file handler.
4. Type in your birth date and click ‘Confirm’ to finish the transaction. For further questions, call GSIS Contact Center (847-4747).

GSIS plays the same important role as that of SSS and other trust funds, whether mandatory or private in the country. If you are a long-time GSIS member who doesn’t have time to make an office visit for inquiry or someone who will just start in the public service and curious about these important GSIS services, this article is definitely your go-to guide.