Agony of transition

Almost always there is resistance to adapting to change, particularly to change via electronic systems.

That this is so has been experienced by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). Last January the system shifted from paying retired members’ premiums and other benefits through the checks system to the ATM (Automated Teller Machine) by use of the eCard or electronic card. The GSIS eCard, called the GSIS eCard Plus, enables holders to withdraw their monthly pensions from ATM outlets located all over the country.

As of this month, the GSIS has issued eCards to 119,145 pensioners, or 87 percent of a total of 136,145 pensioners of the GSIS. So far 17,000 or 13 percent of old-age pensioners have not enrolled for the eCard and enjoy the advantage of the new electronic age system.

The shift in the pension payment system initially generated resistance as pensioners, particularly those with physical disabilities, had to report to a GSIS office to apply for an eCard, and have their photographs and fingerprints taken. These steps are necessary as fingerprint biometrics and photographs would be imprinted on the eCard to ensure its authenticity. Plus, the card owner will be issued an access number that is confidential, and only he will know.

Pensioners who are physically unfit to go to a GSIS office are entitled to a "home visit" by GSIS medical personnel and representatives who will enroll them in the eCard method.

GSIS personnel have been painstakingly explaining to the old age pensioners that their monthly pensions and benefits have not been suspended, but can only be issued upon their submission of their eCard.

In the case of survivorship pensioners, the GSIS was compelled to suspend their monthly pension checks after it discovered discrepancies in its database of survivorship beneficiaries. A database cleansing had to be undertaken.

This cleansing has enabled the GSIS to weed its database of around 58,000 uncleansed records consisting of, among others, invalid ID numbers or date of birth. This process has allowed the GSIS to prevent potential losses of around P489 million annually due to spurious claims.

The close monitoring of pensioners under the new electronic system has resulted in the discovery of 30,000 "dubious" pensioners. According to GSIS, these pensioners are probably non-existent, and could be illegally draining GSIS funds. The transition to eCards has eliminated these fake pensioners and fake members from GSIS rolls. And this has resulted in the loss of income for fake pensioners, who are most possibly responsible for the brickbats being thrown at GSIS for introducing the new system.

As of now, pensioners have to report to a GSIS office annually to prove that they are still alive to establish their residence, This is necessary, GSIS explains, because in the past, the pension fund was drained by the fraudulent encashment of checks by non-payees and by overpayment. The annual physical reporting has prevented fraud and saved GSIS from millions of pesos in illegal payments.

GSIS pensioners in the United States can apply for their eCard Plus from the GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System (G-W@PS) kiosk located in the Philippine consular offices at Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Chicago. Once they receive their eCards, they can withdraw their pensions in US dollars from any ATM under the Visa Plus networks.

GSIS president and general manager Winston Garcia, and his team should be commended, rather than condemned for having the political will to push the GSIS to the electronic age.

As I said above, change can be painful, and come painfully slow, but in the end, tired and old pensioners will benefit from the use of the eCard.

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As what happens in political campaigns, one has to swallow some pride and demonstrate humility in order to gain the public’s trust — and vote. A female senatorial candidate has done just that, and I guess, she might have gained sympathy and understanding for a past misdemeanor.

Take the case of former Senator Tessie Aquino-Oreta, who is seeking reelection under the Team Unity slate. When she threw her hat into the political ring the second time around, she realized the difficulty of her having to live down her image of "dancing queen." The monicker came about when she did a jig after the supposed evidence against then President Joseph Estrada was set aside during his impeachment trial in 2001.

Recently, a television commercial showed the candidate apologizing for her actuation. She said, "I had hoped that the issue would not surface during this campaign, only to realize that such was not a reasonable expectation. I learned the lesson that the hurts and pains caused by a momentary lapse in good judgment linger. And that while our countrymen are a forgiving people, the forgiveness needed must be preceded by an honest admission of a personal mistake." The ad that she asked her campaign staff to put together was "based on my personal decision and direct instruction."

She expressed hope that the ad would "bring the issue to a final resolution."

As expected, Estrada was reported to have expressed his lamentation over her public apology. One must have political maturity to be able to do what Tessie did. I’d like to see her back in the Senate; for sure her platform would again be for education, teacher’s and women’s rights and welfare.

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