Caloocan workers laud return of GSIS benefits

MANILA, Philippines - Caloocan City government employees expressed Friday their appreciation for the local government’s efforts to have the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) reinstate their benefits.

“We are grateful to the city government’s initiative for the return of our GSIS benefits,” Cynthia Sy of the city government’s community relations office said.

Sy said that for the past five years, she never received any assistance from the GSIS after the government’s insurance agency suspended their benefits, which the city hall employees blamed on the previous administration’s failure to remit their premiums.

Mayor Enrico Echiverri assured the city government’s workers that “they can now look forward to once again enjoy their GSIS benefits, something that the past administrations failed to accomplish even though the employees were not remiss in paying their monthly contributions.”

According to Echiverri, the past administration’s failure to remit the monthly contributions of the city hall employees, “buried the city in debt” with the GSIS.

Echiverri said he coordinated with the GSIS management in order to “straighten out” the records of the city government’s workers.

A memorandum of agreement was reached recently between the GSIS and the Caloocan City government to reinstate the employees’ benefits.

Echiverri claimed it was also during his administration that the city hall employees received 14th month pay on top of the other bonuses that regular employees receive.