DUE to the risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) transmission, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has suspended the annual reporting requirement until Dec. 31, 2020.
In a statement, GSIS president and general manager Rolando Macasaet said those who failed to report as scheduled from March to July for the Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation (APIR) will still receive their benefits.
“GSIS will accrue and e-credit the unreceived pension of pensioners who were scheduled to report to GSIS via APIR from March to July 2020 but were not able to do so,” Macasaet said.
APIR requires pensioners and survivorship to personally appear before GSIS offices during their birth months to be able to continue receiving their pensions.
With its suspension, all pensioners are encouraged to try using the online APIR system before the end of December in preparation for its implementation in 2021.
The online APIR provides pensioners the option to report to GSIS through videoconferencing via Facebook Messenger, Viber, Zoom, or Skype.
“With the institutionalization of the online APIR next year, GSIS will take the initiative of getting in touch with pensioners on their birth month for their annual reporting requirement,” he said.
Macasaet said the suspension of the requirement is aimed at ensuring the safety and health of pensioners who are most susceptible to Covid-19 because of their old age. / WBS