About 3,000 teachers from different schools in Negros Occidental joined the picket rally yesterday in front of the Bacolod office of the Government Service Insurance System to air their grievances against the government agency.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Negros Occidental chairperson Gilda Quiatchon said they were able to hold a healthy dialog with GSIS Bacolod branch manager Ruth Hilado.

Quiatchon said they presented to Hilado the oppressive system of the GSIS which penalizes teachers by making them pay for accrued surcharges on their loans resulting from underpayment or non-remittance of payment.

She said retirees are often left with nothing after the GSIS collects all outstanding loan balance from their retirement benefits without verifying the records first or informing the teachers of the status of their loans. During the dialog, Hilado assured the teachers that she will do her best to bring their concerns to the head office in Manila and convince GSIS president and general manager Winston Garcia to meet with them.

She also told the teachers that their personnel are doing overtime work even without pay to update their records. Hilado asked the teachers to give the GSIS 15 days to straighten their postings, particularly, the status of payment of loans and remittances.

Hilado reminded the teachers that some of their problems could have been avoided if only they paid the exact amount of the monthly amortization on their loans regularly.

On the other hand, Quiatchon stressed that the GSIS should refund the teachers any overpayment collected from them as a result of delayed remittance of the Department of Education.

She said that it was not the teachers' fault if the DepEd failed to remit the amount to the GSIS since it was automatically deducted from their salaries .

Quiatchon also said the teachers should not be penalized for GSIS' technical troubles such as its unsynchronized computerization system or its lack of manpower. Rosemarie Rasco, 63, a Grade II teacher of Handumanan Elementary School in Bacolod, said she is supposed to retire on August 1 but since she believes she has no more benefits left because of the many deductions made by GSIS, she feels she is not ready to retire.

"Since I will have no benefits left if I retire, I don't know where to get the money to buy my medication for high blood and diabetes," Rasco said.

CALL FOR SUPPORT

The president of the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees-Negros spokesperson yesterday called on all the newly-elected officials in Negros Occidental to support their demands against the alleged anti-employee and anti-people policies of the Government Service Insurance System.

Dan Alcoriza said he is calling all the congressmen, mayors and sangguniang members in the province to pass resolutions supporting their demands against the premium-based policy and the Auto CLIP (Claims and Loans Interdependency Program) policy of the GSIS. Quiatchon, meanwhile, said she was saddened by the decision of Negros Occidental Schools Division Supt. Eva Belicena to call off the support of the Negros Occidental Teachers Federation in the protest action.

As the "parent" of the teachers, she said Belicena should have been in the forefront pushing for their welfare and protection.

Belicena on Wednesday advised Negros Occidental Teachers Federation officers and members not to join the protest action, saying that, while she understands the sentiments of the ACTN she does not want the NOTF to participate in any unruly and unprofessional behavior.*NB/CGS

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