GSIS returns over ₱19 billion to members through Balik Ginhawa
GSIS has returned ₱19 billion to over 700,000 members through Balik Ginhawa. Here's what the program covers and the Oct. 31 deadline to apply.
NEWS
9/2/20261 min read
The Government Service Insurance System has returned ₱19 billion directly to more than 700,000 members through its Balik Ginhawa program, as of Aug. 31, 2026.
The refunds cover nearly 1.3 million loan contracts. Of the total, ₱8.9 billion came from the original Balik Ginhawa, and ₱10.1 billion was credited through the enhanced Balik Ginhawa 2. With two months left before the program closes on Oct. 31, GSIS is closing in on the ₱20-billion mark.
The math matters for members feeling it firsthand. A government employee paying ₱20,000 a month in loan amortizations, for instance, could see as much as ₱120,000 in relief over six months — money that would otherwise go straight to loan payments. Members can redirect it toward tuition, household bills, medical costs, groceries, home repairs, or whatever else their family needs most.
"Balik Ginhawa is about putting money back into the hands of our members and letting them decide where their families need it most. That can make a real difference in a family's life," said GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso.
The first Balik Ginhawa launched March 1, 2026, followed by the enhanced Balik Ginhawa 2 on July 1. Both programs refund members for loan payments covered under a moratorium — relief that, unlike a new loan, does not require members to borrow additional money to access it.
Veloso is urging qualified members who haven't yet applied for Balik Ginhawa 2 to do so before the deadline.
"We want every qualified member to benefit. There is still time to apply for Balik Ginhawa 2, and we encourage our members not to wait until the last minute," he said.
For GSIS, the program is part of a broader push to make the pension fund's financial position tangible for the members it serves.
"Our goal is not simply to build a stronger GSIS. Our goal is to make that strength felt by every member and every family we serve. Ang pondo ng GSIS ay para sa ginhawa ng ating mga miyembro," Veloso said.
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