Gov’t pensioners retired by illness, disability to get P 20,000

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) on Saturday said over 12,000 pensioners retired by illness or disability will each receive a “one-time” financial assistance of P20,000 under an administrative order recently signed by President Duterte.

Malacañang had earlier announced that a total of 31,000 beneficiaries across pensioners of both the GSIS and the Social Security System (SSS) stand to benefit from the cash assistance.

Mr. Duterte’s Administrative Order No. 39, signed on April 19, directed the Employees Compensation Commission of the Department of Labor and Employment to release the funds for that purpose.

In a statement, the GSIS said it had set aside P252 million as cash assistance for “employee compensation pensioners.”

Rolando Macasaet, president and general manager of GSIS, explained that “employee compensation pensioners are former government employees who retired early due to work-related sickness, injury or disability and availed [themselves] of benefits under Presidential Decree No. 626.”

Under PD 626, the GSIS is tasked with managing a retirement fund for government employees who were injured, became ill or disabled, or died due to work-related circumstances. This benefit is extended to their spouses.

“Employee compensation survivorship pensioners are spouses of employee compensation pensioners who died,” he said.

He said the money would be disbursed after the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) were published.

The GSIS said it “is currently coordinating with the Employees Compensation Commission and the SSS to finalize the (IRR) for the AO. Granting will take effect immediately after the IRR publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines website or in a newspaper of general circulation.” INQ