THE Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) said it will provide life insurance worth half a million pesos to government workers who are in the frontlines against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Rolando Macasaet, president and general manager of the state pension fund, said in a statement yesterday that the life insurance coverage will be provided to 27,682 frontline workers of the government nationwide, who are in the fight against COVID-19.
“The GSIS Board of Trustees… recently approved the establishment of the Bayanihan Fund for Frontliners (BFF), which entitles the survivors of government frontliners who died of COVID-19 to receive an additional P500,000 in insurance benefits,” Macasaet said.
“This is on top of the P1 million death benefit to be provided by the government under the Bayanihan to Heal as One Law and the regular life insurance benefit from GSIS,” he added.
As GSIS members, government frontline workers are automatically covered by the Enhanced Life Program (ELP) of GSIS which, upon the member’s demise, entitles his or her legal heirs to an insurance benefit equivalent to 150 percent of the annual salary of the member. In addition to this, the same survivors will also receive P500,000 under the BFF program.
“For instance, the legal heirs of a government nurse who earns P30,000 a month will receive P540,000 (150 percent of the member’s annual salary) in insurance benefits from GSIS upon his or her death. On top of this, the BFF program will pay his or her survivors an additional amount of P500,000 for a total of P1.04 million,” Macasaet said.
“This is to show our appreciation for the courage, heroism and selfless dedication of our frontline workers in government. We hope that this will somewhat help assuage the grief felt by the families left behind by these heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” he added.
Aside from doctors and nurses, the BFF program will cover other GSIS members involved in providing healthcare and assistance to COVID-19 patients such as cardiovascular technologists (ECG, ultrasound), medical technologists, radiologists/X-ray technicians, pulmo-therapists, pulmonologists, nursing aides, pharmacists, ambulance drivers, administrative staff, housekeeping/janitors and security guards, among others.
The BFF insurance cover will be effective from March 1 to December 31
