The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is set to release P3.7 billion in Christmas cash gifts to eligible pensioners starting Thursday, Dec. 5, two days earlier than the regular December pension schedule, to help them prepare for the holidays.
Wick Veloso, GSIS president and general manager, said that the Christmas cash gift is equivalent to one-month pension but capped at P10,000, while the December pensions would be credited on Dec. 6 instead of Dec. 8.
Veloso said it will be credited directly to the GSIS eCards of qualified old-age and disability pensioners.
"The Christmas cash gift is our way of expressing gratitude to our pensioners who dedicated their lives to serving the Filipino people," Veloso said. "We hope this benefit will make their Christmas celebrations more meaningful."
He added that the early release of the said benefits aims to bring added joy to pensioners this holiday season.
To be eligible for the cash gift, old-age, and disability pensioners under Republic Act (RA) 8291, RA 660, and Presidential Decree (PD) 1146 must be in active status and have been receiving their monthly pension for at least five years as of November 30, 2024.
Those with suspended pensions due to non-compliance with the Annual Pensioners' Information Revalidation (APIR) may still claim the cash gift after reactivating their accounts.
However, pensioners who availed of a five-year lump sum and will resume their regular monthly pension after Dec. 31, 2024, are not eligible for the cash gift.
Survivorship and dependent pensioners, pensioners who retired under RA 7699 (Portability Law), and those receiving pro-rata pension are also excluded.
GSIS has introduced facial recognition technology in its GSIS Touch mobile app to make it easier for pensioners to complete the APIR process, the annual proof-of-life requirement, without visiting GSIS offices.