GSIS touch app now accessible for US, Singapore-based pensioners

MANILA, Philippines — Pensioners living in the United States of America (US) and Singapore can now access the “GSIS Touch Mobile App,” the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said on Monday.

In a statement, the state-run insurance agency said that pensioners based in the U.S. and Singapore can now easily handle their insurance transactions and meet proof of life requirements or the Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation (APIR) using the app.

“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,” the agency’s statement read, quoting GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso.

GSIS said that the pensioners “may download, register and utilize the GSIS Touch mobile app” where the agency will send a one-time personal identification number to their email to register.

Pensioners can also use the app for tentative computations, loan applications and claims. They can also monitor their premium remittances and loan payments.

APIR, which replaced the Annual Renewal of Active Status in 2011, is the annual pensioner’s appearance to the GSIS to inform the agency that their status is still active. 

GSIS Touch, meanwhile, which was introduced in 2020, enables pensioners to update their status at any time and from anywhere.

Through its facial recognition feature for APIR, members can obtain a pension receipt without the need to visit insurance offices in person.

GSIS pensioners in the US and Singapore comprise 78% of the 18,000 pensioners based overseas, according to the government insurance agency.

The app was initially only available to the Philippines, but the GSIS said that it is working to extend its access to pensioners in other countries. 

“The GSIS is already working on rolling it out to pensioners residing in other parts of the world including Europe, the Middle East and Canada,” GSIS said.