GSIS expands Balik Ginhawa coverage, clarifies refund rules

In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to deliver more responsive and meaningful government service to Filipinos, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has expanded the coverage of its Balik Ginhawa (Loan Moratorium Through Refund) Program, allowing qualified members and pensioners to receive refunds equivalent to up to six months of eligible loan amortizations covering payments made from December 2025 to May 2026.

“Patuloy na pinalalawak ng GSIS ang mga programang nagbibigay ng tunay na ginhawa sa ating mga miyembro at pensioners. Balik Ginhawa 2 was designed to give our members and pensioners additional financial breathing room. Through the enhanced program, qualified borrowers may recover up to six months of loan amortizations and use the refunded amount for their immediate needs,” GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said.

The program covers active loan accounts, including housing loans, except those under the GSIS Ginhawa Green Loans Program, namely the Ginhawa Solar Energy Loan (GSEL) and the Ginhawa Bike and E-Mobility Loan (GBEL).

Beginning July 1 until October 31, 2026, qualified members and pensioners may file their applications through the GSIS Touch mobile application for refunds covering eligible loan payments made from December 2025 to May 2026.

Any amount previously refunded under the first phase of the Balik Ginhawa Program will be deducted from the total refundable amount. However, members who received less than the full three-month refund under Balik Ginhawa 1 may still receive the remaining eligible refund for those months, in addition to the three additional months under the enhanced program, subject to a maximum refund equivalent to six monthly loan amortizations.

GSIS emphasized that the refund program remains voluntary and requires members and pensioners to apply through the GSIS Touch app. Refunds will be credited directly to the member’s designated GSIS bank account.

The pension fund also clarified that the absence of payments for the covered months will not be considered arrears.

“This means that qualified members who avail themselves of the program will not be penalized simply because the refunded months will reflect as unpaid. These periods are covered by the moratorium and are not treated as loan arrears,” Veloso explained.

Excluded from the program are loan accounts already classified as Due and Demandable (with unpaid amortizations equivalent to more than 6 months), fully paid or renewed loan accounts, members with pending or processed retirement or separation benefit claims at the time of availment, and members without a designated GSIS bank account where the refund may be credited.

Advance payments made before a loan’s first due date are likewise not covered because these are treated as direct payments to the loan principal rather than as monthly loan amortizations.

Members and pensioners are encouraged to check their loan status and refund eligibility through the GSIS Touch app, where the latest updates and information regarding Balik Ginhawa are available.

For more information, members may visit the official GSIS website, Facebook and other social media pages.

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