ECC lifts suspension of EC survivorship pension in the public sector

The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) has recently ruled that EC survivorship pension in the public sector may be granted even beyond the five year guaranteed period subject to the qualifications prescribed by law.

On July 27, 2012, the ECC issued Board Resolution No. 12-07-16 directing the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to lift the suspension of payment of EC survivorship pension in the public sector beyond the five year guaranteed period.

Since 2006, the GSIS has been implementing its policy of limiting to five years the payment of survivorship pension under PD 626, as amended, due to depletion of fund. However, the ECC pointed out that with the GSIS report on the improvement in the status of the GSIS-managed State Insurance Fund (SIF), the payment of EC survivorship pension beyond five years should be reinstated as a policy.

GSIS records reveal that there were 1,101 survivorship pensioners in the public sector whose benefits have been suspended. However, the GSIS will still verify if all of them are still qualified to receive the EC death benefits as provided by the Employees’ Compensation Law.

Currently, the GSIS has a total of 2,045 pensioners who are actively receiving disability benefits and survivorship pension under the Employees’ Compensation Program.