The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) on Tuesday, Nov. 14, distinguished the difference between regular and special members and explained the reason behind the exclusion of selected government employees.

“Ang halaga ng contribution na binabayad ng regular member ay 9 percent ng kanyang basic salary. Ang hinuhulog naman ng kanyang ahensya sa GSIS o tinatawag na government share ay 12 percent na kanyang basic salary," GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo “Wick” Veloso said in an episode of GSIS Ginhawa For All.

"Sa kabuuan, ang nahuhulog sa retirement at life insurance premium ng isang regular member ay equivalent sa 21 percent ng kanyang basic salary,” he added.

The state pension fund explained that special members remit less than the percentage of a regular member.

“Ang isang special member naman ay required na mag-remit ng life insurance premium na equivalent sa 3 percent ng kanyang basic salary. Ang dapat naman i-remit ng kanyang ahensya bilang government share ay 3 percent kaya 6 percent lahat,” he said.

Veloso explained the difference between active and inactive members.

“Ang active member ay nagta-trabaho kahit regular or special member ka man basta nakapaghulog ka na ng premium. Inactive member ka naman kung ikaw ay nawalay na sa serbisyo sa bisa ng resignation, retirement, disability, retrenchment, or dismissal from the service,” the GSIS chief explained.

Selected gov’t employees excluded

According to Veloso, under Republic Act 8291, the state pension fund covers all government workers, except the following:

• Uniformed personnel of:

• Armed Forces of the Philippines or AFP;

• Philippine National Police o PNP;

• Bureau of Jail Management and Penology or BJMP; and

• Bureau of Fire Protection

• Contractual employee

• Barangay and Sanggunian officials who are not receiving fixed monthly compensation

When asked for the reason behind this, he said it was a matter of fixed income.

“Ang mga opisyal po ng barangay ay excluded sa membership ng GSIS sa ilalim ng batas may Section 3 Exclusion from Compulsory Coverage ng Implementing Rules and Regulations ng RA 8291 sapagkat sila po ay hindi nakakatanggap ng fixed salary,” Veloso said.

“Ang sakop lang po ng GSIS ay ang presidente ng association of barangay captains sapagkat siya ay may fixed salary,” he added.