GSIS marks National Pensioners' Week with bigger funeral benefit, uncapped survivorship pension, solar loan for retirees
GSIS marks National Pensioners' Week by raising its funeral benefit to ₱50,000 and opening a ₱500,000 solar energy loan to retirees starting Sept. 30, 2026.
NEWS
9/23/20263 min read
The Government Service Insurance System is marking National Pensioners' Week with a lineup of enhanced benefits, from a bigger funeral payout to a new solar financing option, as it pushes to make retirement support easier to access for its members.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared the second week of September as National Pensioners' Week under Proclamation No. 1020, recognizing the contributions of GSIS and Social Security System pensioners to the country's development. The proclamation tasks both agencies with leading the yearly observance and rolling out programs for retirees.
GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said the agency is turning that directive into real programs that give pensioners stronger financial protection and simpler access to services.
"Ang ating mga pensionado ay naglaan ng malaking bahagi ng kanilang buhay sa paglilingkod sa bayan. Kaya ang pagkilala sa kanila ay hindi lamang isang selebrasyon. Isinasagawa natin ito sa pamamagitan ng mga programang nagbibigay sa kanila ng mas maraming benepisyo, financial options at mas madaling access sa serbisyo ng GSIS," Veloso said.
Pensioners and surviving spouses draw from the Ginhawa for All Grand, or GFAL Grand, package, which covers old-age pension, survivorship pension, pension increases, a Christmas cash gift, milestone benefits and funeral benefits. Qualified pensioners can also apply for pension loans, pensioners' emergency loans and the Choice of Loan Amortization Schedule for Pensioners, or CLASP.
Among the most recent changes: the funeral benefit jumped from ₱30,000 to ₱50,000 for qualified members and pensioners whose deaths occurred on or after July 13, 2026.
GSIS also removed the cap on survivorship pensions. Qualified surviving spouses can now receive the full amount equal to 50% of the deceased member's or pensioner's pension. Cohabitation no longer cuts off that benefit, though remarriage still does.
The Christmas cash gift got wider, too. Starting in 2025, pro-rata pensioners and those under the Portability Law qualified for the first time. Eligible pensioners get one month's pension or ₱10,000, whichever is lower, based on program rules.
In areas under a state of calamity, qualified old-age and disability pensioners can tap the GSIS Emergency Loan, and the agency has kept opening emergency loan windows in affected communities.
Pensioners with eligible existing loans also have access to Balik Ginhawa, or the Loan Moratorium Through Refund, which returns money tied to covered loan amortizations without requiring a new loan. Applications go through GSIS Touch through Oct. 31, 2026, subject to program guidelines. As of Sept. 21, GSIS had refunded almost ₱20 billion under the first and enhanced Balik Ginhawa rounds, covering close to 1.6 million loan contracts for more than 700,000 qualified members and pensioners.
On Sept. 30, GSIS will extend its Ginhawa Solar Energy Loan, or GSEL, to pensioners for the first time. The program, first launched for active government workers in March 2026, helps finance residential solar systems. Under GSEL, qualified pensioners can borrow up to ₱500,000, payable over up to five years at 5% annual interest with no service fee, to cover the purchase and installation of solar energy systems. Applications are filed through GSIS Touch, subject to eligibility and documents required.
"Sa pagbubukas ng GSEL sa ating mga pensionado, binibigyan natin sila ng karagdagang financial option na maaaring makatulong na mapababa ang kanilang gastusin sa kuryente. Patuloy nating tinitingnan kung paano natin maiaangkop ang mga programa ng GSIS sa tunay na pangangailangan ng ating retirees," Veloso said.
Pensioners can also apply for general insurance products under GFAL Grand, including fire, motor vehicle and personal accident insurance, with GSIS retirees and pensioners specifically named among those eligible for the last two. On the housing side, the Lease with Option to Buy program, part of GFAL LWOB, lets qualified clients lease select GSIS-acquired properties with the option to eventually buy them.
GSIS continues to push these services through digital channels. GSIS Touch lets pensioners complete the Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation and file loan applications without visiting a branch. Members can also reach GSIS through its website, its 24/7 Contact Center, social media and online filing facilities.
"Hindi lamang buwanang pensiyon ang maaasahan ng ating retirees sa GSIS. Mula sa survivorship, funeral, milestone at Christmas benefits hanggang sa loans, Balik Ginhawa, GSEL, general insurance, housing at digital services, patuloy nating pinapalawak ang suportang maaasahan nila pagkatapos ng maraming taon ng paglilingkod sa gobyerno," Veloso said.
Veloso said GSIS will keep refining its programs to give pensioners and their families protection that fits their changing needs.
Image: Deedee Geli