Pensioners of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) who are based in the United States and Singapore may now use the GSIS Touch, the mobile app of GSIS, in complying with the proof of life requirement on annual pensioners information revalidation (APIR) and other transactions.
GSIS pensioners in the US and Singapore comprise 78 percent of the 18,000 pensioners based abroad. Pensioners who are based in the US as indicated in their GSIS records may download, register and utilize the GSIS Touch mobile app.
The GSIS said it would then send a one-time personal identification number (OTP) to their email listed in the GSIS database to register. In Singapore, GSIS Touch may be used by GSIS pensioners who have already downloaded the GSIS Touch and registered in the app.
The GSIS Touch has a facial recognition feature for APIR, making it seamless and convenient for pensioners to update their status without physically going to the GSIS. They need to undergo APIR or report their status to ensure continuous receipt of their pension.
“We call on our members and pensioners to use the GSIS Touch for their transactions. We made it available to pensioners abroad as our response to their clamor to allow them to experience its innovative and convenient service,” GSIS president and general manager Wick Veloso said in a statement.
“This shows that we listen to our stakeholders and we value their insights and perspectives. Moreover, the enhancements in the GSIS Touch underscores GSIS’s commitment to support the government’s digitalization initiatives, aiming for faster, broader and more convenient service,” he said.
The online feature of the GSIS Touch was initially available to pensioners in the Philippines. After extending the app’s reach to pensioners in the US and Singapore, the GSIS is already working on rolling it out to pensioners residing in other parts of the world including Europe, Middle East and Canada.
They may use alternative modes for their APIR such as via Skype, Messenger and Viber. In the enhanced app, members can also view their updated amortization schedule for loans.
Launched at the height of the pandemic in 2020 with an initial user base of 37,144 that grew to 1,095,452 at present, the GSIS Touch has proven to be a game-changer, allowing members and pensioners access to vital information from membership and pension records to insurance policies.
The app also enables users to generate tentative computations, apply for loans and claims and keep track of their premium remittances and loan payments. It also caters to modern security needs, offering biometric login options such as fingerprint or facial recognition for users with smartphones with biometrics feature.