GSIS blames IBM for Oct 1 computer problem

MANILA, Philippines - The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said it was IBM’s slow response to its database software problems that caused the online loan kiosks of the GSIS to go offline for more than two hours last Thursday.

The GSIS issued the statement to refute the claim of IBM that the problem was due to “human error”.

The GSIS said IBM left out certain details on what happened when the GSIS’s online loan system, called the G-W@PS, shut down in the morning of Oct. 1.

The GSIS said moments before the G-W@PS kiosks were to go online that day, the IBM DB2 went offline preventing the kiosks from working.

The GSIS called up IBM for assistance. The GSIS said it sent IBM a complete set of information about the problem over the phone, hoping that IBM could, right there and then, provide the GSIS the necessary action needed to fix DB2.

Instead, GSIS said IBM opted to pay them a visit.

Meanwhile, GSIS said thousands of members were already agitated because they cannot apply for the calamity loan through the G-W@PS kiosks.