GSIS: Prepare for Your Retirement, Spend Benefits Wisely

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) – Samar has reminded government employees to start preparing for their retirement during a series of pre-retirement seminars recently conducted in their office here.

The seminar focused on educating would-be retirees on the different modes of retirement applicable to them and the benefits and privileges to be availed of.

Ms. Roselle Tejada, staff officer III and team leader of the GSIS Frontline Services Division, explained to the employees that different laws govern their retirement options and benefits depending on the date they have entered the government service.

Alternate Members Assistance Officer Ethel Felicilda reminded everyone to ensure that forms are completely and properly filled-out as this usually cause delay in processing the retirement application.

Aside from the basic pre-retirement seminar, GSIS also included a discussion on financial literacy.

“We incorporated financial literacy in this seminar to guide you on how to spend your hard-earned retirement benefits wisely,” said John Vianney Ocaña, division chief of the frontline Services Division.

During the open forum, most of the concerns raised by the employees were non-receipt of dividends, delays in their remittance, and the issues on assignment of beneficiary and survivorship of an `estranged spouse.

For the recently concluded pre-retirement seminar, a total of 95 participants from national government agencies, state university and colleges and local government units attended the seminar.

GSIS also encouraged would-be retirees seeking advice to visit their office every third Wednesday of the month as they accept walk-in and small group clients. (LDL/GMT/PIA-8, Samar)