The Government Service Insurance System has urged its members to ensure accurate loan repayment in order to avoid negative consequences on their social insurance benefits.
“We are reminding our member-borrowers to pay the correct loan amortizations on time. This will preserve their future benefits, which they have earned and should enjoy for devoting their prime in government service,” GSIS Chairman and Acting President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said.
If left unpaid, loans incur interests and penalties. Macasaet said. When the obligation is deducted from their retirement or separation benefit, it might leave them with little or no proceeds at all.
Macasaet explained, “Responsible borrowing keeps the pension fund healthy.Up-to-date loan payment makes the GSIS fund adequate to lend to other members as well.”
Members with overdue loan accounts may avail of the Enhanced Conso-Loan Plus, which waives all interests, penalties, and surcharges on their existing salary loan accounts.
They are qualified to apply for the loan if they are permanent in employment status; have no pending administrative or criminal case; are not on leave of absence without pay; and have a net take-home pay of P5,000 after deduction of monthly premium contributions and loan amortizations.
Special members, such as prosecutors and members of the judiciary and constitutional commissions, are also qualified to avail of Enhanced Conso-Loan Plus.
If members are already out of government service and financially incapable to settle their outstanding loan balances in full, however, they may avail of the one-time condonation and restructuring program called GSIS Program for Restructuring and Repayment of Debts.
GSIS-PRRD condones all unpaid penalties on the borrower’s outstanding balance. The restructured amount carries an interest rate of 10 percent per annum compounded annually.
Covered under the program are the following service loans: Salary Loan; Restructured Salary Loan; Enhanced Salary Loan; Emergency Loan Assistance; Summer One-Month Salary Loan; Member’s Cash Advance/eCard Cash Advance/eCard Plus Cash Advance; Conso-Loan; Emergency Loan; Home Emergency Loan Program (HELP); Study Now, Pay later and Fly Pal; Pay Later Loans (did not avail of the condonation program in 2014); Education Assistance Loan (did not avail of EAL II); Stock Purchase Loan (did not avail of the condonation program in 2013); Policy Loan; and GSIS Financial Assistance Loan. Excluded from the program are loans granted to pensioners and housing loan. GSIS has a separate ongoing condonation program for housing accounts.