About a week ago, I received a letter from Ms. Ella Valencerina, GSIS vice president for public affairs (she is one of 29 GSIS’ vice presidents, 12 senior vice presidents and two executive vice presidents) responding in a rather indifferent and cavalier fashion to the complaints of the following pensioners:

1. Ambassador Rodolfo Arizala. According to Valencerina, Arizala "has his pension suspended since August 2006 as he has not yet enrolled for the eCard Plus." (If only Valencerina had taken the time to read more carefully my column, she would have noted that Arizala lives in Santiago, Chile.)

In reply, Arizala says:

"Apparently, the reason for my inability to apply personally either at any of our consulates in the US or at GSIS Office in the Philippines was not known to her.

"In several letters I have sent to GSIS authorities in the Philippines, for example on 31 October 2007, I wrote GSIS VP Marietta L. Ragudo as follows:

"’Please be informed that with much regret, due to my present state of health and condition as stated in my letters of 9 and 30 August 2007 that I have been undergoing treatment for hypertension, glaucoma, cataract and prostate gland problems, I am unable to make long travels either to the Philippines or to a Philippine consulate in the United States to enroll with GSIS eCard.’

"Much earlier, when my monthly pension was first suspended by GSIS, I wrote a letter dated 28 December 2006, to GSIS President Winston Garcia stating among others:

"‘For humanitarian reason and in line with the policy of GSIS to protect and alleviate the conditions of government pensioners, it is hoped and prayed that in countries or areas where there are no GW@PS kiosks yet, personal appearance before a Philippine diplomatic or consular official having jurisdiction over the area or place where the pensioners reside abroad and a Certificate to that effect by such official would be considered substantial compliance with GSIS purpose, instead of suspending their pensions and requiring them to travel to the Philippines or to countries where GSIS has already established G-W@PS kiosks.’

"Up to now, GSIS has been insisting that I should either apply for eCard in the Philippines or at any Philippine consulate in the US. Otherwise, my pension shall continue to remain suspended.

"Perhaps they failed to consider that in my particular case, to travel from Santiago, Chile to any of the Philippine consulates in the US to enroll with GSIS eCard would entail at least 18 hours flight by jet passenger plane one way, plus three or four-day stay in the US while waiting for issuance of eCard. Stay in US would also entail expenses on board and lodging aside of course from travel expenses and application for US visa.

"Trip to the Philippines would entail much longer flight one way from Santiago, Chile to Manila is about 35 flying hours."

2. Ambassador Ruperto Dizon. Valencerina says Dizon’s case is the same as Arizala’s. (Again, Valencerina evidently hadn’t noticed that Dizon lives in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.)

In reply, Dizon says:

"Why should and how could a pensioner… who resides (abroad) have to enroll personally in Manila or in places abroad where there are so-called kiosks? Would the GSIS tell us where these foreign GSIS kiosks are located, and does GSIS know how much money one needs to go to Manila or to these so called foreign GSIS kiosks?

"Is this a requirement of the GSIS by law or just a GSIS board resolution?

"If this is not statutorily required, the GSIS Board could enforce alternative means if the purpose is to safeguard the interests of GSIS members, both active members and old-age pensioners, e.g., for an assurance that GSIS pensioners concerned wherever residing are still alive and therefore still entitled to continue receiving their life time pensions.

"Does the GSIS know that Philippine government interests and the interests and welfare of Filipinos abroad whether individual or juridical are taken care of by Philippine embassies and consulates worldwide?"

3. Ms. Julieta Posadas and her 93-year-old mother Martina Nava who is a survivorship pensioner. Valencerina says "the eCard Plus of Ms. Martina Nava, a survivorship pensioner, has already been printed last April 4 and set for mailing to her US address. Her pension account is already active. Ms. Julieta M. Posadas, an old-age pensioner, has her pension suspended since December 2006 as she has not yet enrolled for the eCard Plus."

In reply, Posadas says:

"My mother and I went to the Consulate on 2 April 2008 to re-enroll at the same time. I now wonder why only my mother’s enrolment was processed. The feedback from the machine was that my enrolment was ‘successfully sent’. (Could it possibly be due to the fact that Ms. Posadas’ unpaid pension has now amounted to around P400,000?)

"When my pension was suspended in December 2006 the enrolment for the E-card was not yet in place. The GSIS representatives were here last week of February until first week of March 2007. My mother and I enrolled sometime end of February 2007. They assured us we will be receiving our E-card within two months or even less. When no communication from GSIS came through the mail, I inquired after three months, to give them enough time assuming that the big number of enrollees might have caused the delay. I was then told that the computer system containing data of our enrolment crashed and that we needed to re-enroll. We intended to re-enroll in Manila but had to cancel our trip due to my mother’s health problems. But now we have re-enrolled here as our trip to Manila might not push through.

"To say I did not enroll is untrue. We did our part and had been dutifully complying with their requirements.

"We appreciate the effort of GSIS in addressing our problems and hope that my case as well as all those with similar problems be given due and prompt attention especially those retirees whose state of health render them unable to go to the nearest GSIS kiosk or perhaps unable to finance their travel."

***

Evidently, the eCard Plus system that GSIS introduced does not and will not work for pensioners like Arizala, Dizon and Posadas. What then will GSIS do to remedy the problem?

Ambassador Dizon has a suggestion that GSIS should consider. He says the Social Security System’s (SSS) method of paying their pensioners residing abroad through designated authorized banks would be a good solution. If SSS could adopt it without any problem and they trust and give full faith and credence to the personal appearance of the pensioners before Philippine Consular Officials abroad as to the "bona fides" of the claimant and that the pensioner concerned is still alive, why not the GSIS?

In this regard, GSIS would be well-advised to always bear in mind that pensioners, whether residing in the Philippines or abroad, are old folks in their 70s, 80s or 90s. As such, it is physically very difficult, if not virtually impossible, for them to comply with the present GSIS eCard Plus requirements. It is also not cost-effective for them to be traveling long distances just to get their measly pension.

***

There were numerous reactions to my last two columns on the GSIS. Due to space limitation, I am reproducing only one now. Others will follow.

From Ricardo Alberto of Quezon City:

"Kudos on your very enlightening column on the GSIS. I fully support your call for a congressional probe on the solvency of the GSIS. I share your feeling that GSIS may be withholding critical information from its members. Not only the retirees are suffering from GSIS’ empty hubris and dismal performance. Even active members are having a tough time trying to get a full and accurate accounting of their contributions and loan repayments.

"Ask many government employees, mostly including public school teachers. I understand many active DFA employees have the same problem. When they try to take it up with GSIS, they are routinely given the runaround and false excuses, such as the supposed failure of their agencies to properly remit their contributions, erroneous documentation, etc. But these are really non-issues, when you really look at it, if GSIS were to be more forthright and diligent in its records-keeping. It has the funds. It should also have a record of how it receives such funds. It does not have to demand proof of remittance from the poor employees who only depend on their agencies for the remittance of their contributions.

"Many government agencies will testify to GSIS’ notorious neglect and misfeasance in this area. The tragic truth is that while these problems remain unresolved, its callous officials have the gall to squander more of its funds on advertising blitzes and international road shows proclaiming themselves as a "world-class" agency powered by cutting-edge technology!

"Pretty soon, GSIS ought to cut to the chase and answer just this question: ‘Where´s the money?’"

***

Today is the 354th day of Jonas Burgos’ disappearance.

In exactly eleven days, Jonas would have been gone a year. Let’s hope and pray it will not take another year before Jonas is released by his abductors, or found, hopefully alive.