MANILA - Pensioners of the Government Service Insurance System can now report online instead of appearing personally for the required Annual Pensioners Information Revalidation (APIR) to receive their pension, the GSIS said on Monday.

GSIS pensioners may report through Viber, Facebook Messenger, Skype or Zoom after they have emailed the requirements for APIR.

“This contactless method will protect them from possible COVID-19 transmission as well as ensure the continuous receipt of their pension,” said GSIS president and general manager Rolando Macasaet.

Online APIR is also recommended for pensioners who were previously being home-visited yearly due to advanced age (80 years old and above), sickness, disability or other health issues affecting their mobility, GSIS said.

“We are constantly finding ways to harness technology to make transacting with GSIS convenient and safe for our members and pensioners,” Macasaet said.

The GSIS said that to report online, pensioners must email during their birth month two documents: a letter requesting GSIS to activate their status and a photo of their Unified Multi-Purpose ID (UMID) or temporary eCard, or, in the absence of both, two valid IDs.

“The letter must indicate the date of request and the pensioner’s complete name, address, contact number and signature,” GSIS said.

Surviving spouses have to email a self-declaration that they have not remarried or cohabited with another person, using a form that is downloadable from the GSIS website.

Permanent disability pensioners meanwhile must submit the original copy of the annual Medical Progress Report, Macasaet said. Pensioners must email the documents to the designated email address of the handling GSIS office.

GSIS said that 3 days after receiving the request, it will email an acknowledgment letter to the pensioner with the details of the interview including the date, time and social media application or video conferencing software.

Pensioners who are qualified for milestone benefits -- P20,000 on their 90th birthday; P30,000 on their 95th birthday; and P50,000 on their 100th birthday – may also apply for this benefit online, the pension fund said.