Nearly 7,000 Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) members and pensioners in Albay have received close to P100 million in refunded loan amortizations under the Balik Ginhawa program, as the state pension fund stepped up relief efforts for workers affected by inflation and high fuel costs.

The payout, part of the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food and Transport (UPLIFT), is designed to ease short-term financial pressure on government employees and retirees by returning portions of previously paid loan amortizations.

GSIS Legazpi Branch manager Eugene Virgo said 6,827 applicants have already been approved as of 20 April, out of 7,971 applications received in the province, with a total disbursement of P99.7 million.

The program covers loan amortizations paid between December 2025 and February 2026, effectively allowing members to recover recent deductions and improve immediate cash flow without taking on new debt.

Balik Ginhawa launched

“The GSIS has launched Balik Ginhawa where members with existing loan accounts may request a refund of their loan amortizations. This is to help address the needs of our fellow government workers, especially our pensioners,” Virgo said.

He stressed that the initiative is structured strictly as a refund mechanism, not a fresh credit facility, and carries no interest or penalties.

“There is no additional interest or penalty. We will only extend the payment term based on the number of months refunded,” he said.

Applications are being processed through the GSIS Touch platform, which allows members to file requests remotely without physically visiting branch offices.