GSIS chief Wick Veloso named Asia's Modern Hero for public service and financial leadership
GSIS President Wick Veloso is named Asia's Modern Hero for public service and financial leadership, as the pension fund posts ₱94.75B net income in H1 2026.
NEWS
9/30/20262 min read
Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and General Manager Wick Veloso has been named an Asia's Modern Hero for his distinguished contribution to "Public Service and Financial Leadership." The award recognizes his work to strengthen the state pension fund while expanding programs that directly benefit government workers and pensioners.
Veloso received the honor at the Asia's Modern Hero Awards on Sept. 25, 2026, at Okada Manila. The Golden Icons Foundation presented the award, and Asia's Golden Icon Awards & Events Inc. produced the event.
The recognition comes as the pension fund's finances grow stronger. GSIS posted net income of ₱94.75 billion in the first half of 2026, up 27.78% from ₱74.2 billion in the same period in 2025. Gross income reached ₱195.38 billion, and total assets stood at ₱2.05 trillion as of June 30, 2026. GSIS also paid ₱94.67 billion in claims and benefits over the same period.
"This award serves to inspire us to do more, to protect and grow the GSIS fund, to embrace innovation and improve the lives of our stakeholders. Because in the end, leadership is not measured by how high the position we hold, but by the number of lives we touch through our service," Veloso said.
Among his major initiatives is Balik Ginhawa, through which GSIS had returned close to ₱20 billion directly to more than 700,000 members as of Sept. 22, 2026. The refunds covered 1.6 million loan contracts and gave qualified government employees more room in their budgets for household expenses, education, medical needs, and other priorities.
GSIS has also expanded its financing programs to keep pace with members' changing needs, particularly during the national energy emergency. These include green loan facilities for solar energy and electric mobility, along with other member-focused programs that make affordable financing easier to reach through digital channels.
Digital transformation has moved faster under Veloso as well. GSIS Touch has passed 2 million registered users, who can access key services around the clock, including loan applications, claims, pension-related transactions, and the Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation. GSIS reports that 99.6% of its services are now digitalized, so members have less need to visit branches and wait in line.
Veloso brought decades of banking and financial-market experience to the pension fund when he became president and general manager in 2022. His leadership has centered on safeguarding and growing the fund, improving investment performance, speeding up digitalization, and making sure GSIS' financial strength translates into meaningful benefits for government workers and pensioners.