NEWS BRIEFS

GSIS 24/7 CALL CENTER

The Government Service Insurance Service (GSIS) will launch a 50-seat, 24/7 GSIS Call Center in October to provide easy access to members nationwide.

“Our members do not need to stage rallies in front of our building. They can raise their concerns and we are here to listen to them,” said Mario “Mayong” Aguja, a GSIS trustee.

Officials assured GSIS members that their contributions are safe and that the agency can serve the needs of government workers and paying government service retirees.

“We can definitely fulfill our obligations to members. GSIS has P650 billion in assets which is as large as San Miguel Corporation,” said Karina Constantino-David, a GSIS trustee.

The GSIS launched new services like the enlistment of the Land Bank of the Philippines to complement the Union Bank of the Philippines as its service bank.

An additional 500 GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System machines were installed nationwide in 2011.

In Cebu, 27 kiosks were installed last year – 24 in the province, two machines in the GSIS building in Cebu City and one in Robinson’s Mall, according to Ma. Fatima Alvarez, Branch Manager GSIS Cebu. /Contributor Joy Chery Quito

COUNCIL RAISES PWD AID TO P3,000

The Cebu City Council yesterday increased financial assistance for persons with disability (PWD) from P2,000 to P3,000 each.

The Council also passed a resolution asking Mayor Michael Rama to include P5.3 million in the next supplemental budget to cover the increase. The city has about 12,000 registered PWDs.

Councilor Leah Japson authored the twin measures after the Cebu Federation of Persons with Disability requested that assistance be increased.

Leonilo Umayan, PWD federation head, requested the mayor for P5, 000 cash assistance for PWDs in the 2013 budget.

Umayan said that like senior citizens who now recieve P7,000 annual assistance from the city, PWDs also have maintenance medicine and other needs.

The mayor said he still has to look for a funding source before he can commit to this. /Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac

SUPPORT FOR CREMDEC CENTER

The Cebu City Council will act on a proposed ordinance that would require all Cebu City government offices and barangay councils to use facilities of the Cebu City Resource Management and Development Center (Cremdec) in barangay Taptap for seminars.

Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias said he wanted to maximize the facility, which was built in 1989 and is the only local government unit manged and operated training center in the country.

Cremdec, about 24 kilometers from the city proper, is located in a mountain range. It has meeting rooms, sleeping quarters, an amphiteater, a dining area and has been the venue of many workshops and trainings of government and private groups.

It was a legacy of the World Bank funded-Central Visayas Regional Projects, where Cebu was a main beneficiary.

Councilor Margot Osmeña suggested that Cremdec earn revenue to generate additional income for the city.

Councilor Alvin Dizon suggested that Cremdec officials be consulted first and come up with a marketing plan. The Cremdec board of directors earlier requested Cabarrubias to sponsor ordinance which would promote the training facility./Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao