THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) yesterday introduced the unified multi-purpose ID system (Umid)-compliant eCard before some social institutions.
“This Umid-compliant Ecard is replacing the eCard Plus,” said Juan Philip Evangelista, GSIS vice president for information technology services group, during the 25th board meeting of the Asean Social Security Association (Assa) held at the Imperial Palace.
The Umid system is an offshoot of Executive Order No. 420 that requires all government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations to streamline and harmonize their identification systems through the use of a unified multi-purpose ID.
The new eCard, Evangelista said, will bear a common reference number that will serve as the primary identifier of an individual transacting business or availing himself of services from any government agency.
Transaction card
The eCard Plus, whose earliest functions was just an identification and an ATM card, is now a transaction card, a hospitalization card, an education benefit card and a discount card in one.
With the CRN, the Umid-compliant eCard will serve as a valid identification card not only for the GSIS but also for the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth), the Home Development Fund (HDMF) and other government agencies.
The target, Evangelista said, is to produce 12 million cards. About 300,000 members are now enrolled in the new system.
“We are starting it with our employees, from the head to regional offices then a special schedule will be given for the re-enrollment of the different agencies,” Evangelista told Sun.Star Cebu.
The agency targets 300,000 enrollees per month. Failure to renew hampers members to avail themselves of new loans, Evangelista said.
GSIS has 15 regional offices nationwide with 1.1 million members and pensioners. It’s the first government agency to implement the Umid system and is a pioneer in the issuance of multi-purpose cards.
GSIS is a member institution of the Assa, a non-government association that represents cooperation in the area of social security in the Asean region. It also chairs the Philippine Social Security Association (Philssa). Its members include the SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-ibig, Employee Compensation Commission (ECC), AFP Retirement, Separation, and Benefits System (AFP-RSBS) and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).
In 2008, GSIS released P38.86 billion in claims and benefits, up by 6.84 percent from a year ago’s level. The actuarial life of the pension fund, on the other hand, is now at 2064 from 2055 in 2008.