GSIS refunds PHP 9 billion under Balik Ginhawa 2

The Government Service Insurance System has refunded PHP 9.06 billion in loan amortizations to more than 500,000 members and pensioners within 24 days of expanding its Balik Ginhawa 2 program.

The state pension fund said the distribution complied with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to provide timely financial relief to Filipinos.

The refunds give qualified government workers and retirees additional money for food, medicine, utilities and other immediate expenses without suspending their regular loan deductions.

The assistance is not a loan condonation or cash grant because borrowers must complete the refunded payments through a corresponding extension of their loan terms.

Refunds surpass PHP 18 billion

The PHP 9.06 billion covered refunds released under Balik Ginhawa 2 alone.

Combined with refunds under the original Balik Ginhawa program, GSIS has returned more than PHP 18 billion in loan amortizations to qualified members and pensioners.

The original program was implemented over about three months.

Balik Ginhawa 2 reached the PHP 9 billion mark and served more than 500,000 beneficiaries in less than a month.

Under the program, previously paid monthly loan amortizations are returned directly to qualified borrowers.

Members and pensioners may use the money for immediate needs while continuing to pay their loans based on the original terms.

Instead of immediately repaying the refunded amortizations, borrowers complete the payments through an extension of the loan period.

The arrangement is designed to provide short-term liquidity while maintaining the status of borrowers’ loan accounts.

Coverage expanded to six months

Balik Ginhawa 2 expanded the program’s coverage from three monthly loan amortizations to as many as six.

The original implementation covered eligible payments made from December 2025 to February 2026.

The expanded program also covers eligible payments made from March to May 2026.

Qualified borrowers may therefore recover up to six months of loan amortizations, subject to the program’s terms and conditions.

GSIS said participation remains voluntary.

The pension fund’s official guidance says regular loan deductions continue and no additional interest or penalty is imposed because of the refund. (

GSIS Touch adds refund-checking feature

GSIS introduced a feature in its GSIS Touch mobile application for members and pensioners who received less than their expected refund.

The feature allows qualified borrowers to check whether they have a remaining refundable amount and apply for the balance immediately.

GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said the feature was intended to ensure that all qualified borrowers receive the benefits due to them.

“Through this feature, we are making sure that those who are still entitled to a refundable amount can easily verify their eligibility and receive the remaining benefit due them,” Veloso said.

Members and pensioners who received only partial refunds may log in to the application and submit another application when eligible.

GSIS said refund proceeds are credited exclusively to a beneficiary’s designated GSIS bank account and not to the person’s payroll account.

Application remains voluntary

GSIS said the expanded program forms part of its efforts to simplify transactions, improve service delivery and provide financial relief to government employees and pensioners.

Based on the pension fund’s published guidelines, eligible borrowers must have existing loans that are not in default, have no arrears and have actual remittances during the covered months.

Applications are processed through the GSIS Touch mobile application without requiring approval from an agency authorized officer.

The official guidelines state that approved refunds may be credited within seven working days and that applications may be submitted until Oct. 31, 2026.

Members and pensioners may visit the GSIS website, access the GSIS Touch mobile application, follow the agency’s official social media pages or call the GSIS Contact Center at 88474747 for more information.