GSIS opens renovated Zamboanga branch, launches digital hub for 48,000 members

Zamboanga City- The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) formally opened its renovated branch office and launched a new Digital Business Center here to streamline services for nearly 48,000 members and pensioners in the region.

GSIS President and General Manager (PGM) Wick Veloso led the inauguration ceremony for the upgraded facilities, which are designed to handle the growing volume of transactions from 187 remitting agencies. The renovation marks a significant shift in operations for the branch, which has maintained a presence in the city since 1968.

With the GSIS now 99.6 percent digitalized, the newly launched Digital Business Center serves as a critical bridge between these modern systems and traditional face-to-face transactions. While the GSIS Touch mobile app allows tech-savvy members to file claims remotely, the new center provides on-site support for those who find technology difficult to navigate.

“We realized that to serve you better, we had to change how we operate,” PGM Veloso said. “This is why we built the Digital Business Center. It complements the GSIS Touch mobile app, which remains the core of our digitalization journey.”

During his working visit, Veloso also inspected the Basilan Extension Office. Serving the island province for 20 years, the facility accepts and processes claim applications for approximately 7,000 members and pensioners, ensuring accessible service remains available outside the regional center.

Veloso also convened a mini-stakeholders’ dialogue with representatives from the Social Security System (SSS), Pag-IBIG Fund, Civil Service Commission (CSC), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), UnionBank, and the Office of the Zamboanga City Mayor. The dialogue served as a venue to hear direct feedback from stakeholders to further improve GSIS services.

Zamboanga City Mayor Khymer Adan T. Olaso, who graced the event, expressed his support for the agency’s expanding reach.

“I am very thankful to GSIS for continuously and actively serving the people of Zamboanga, not only Zamboanga City, but the entire peninsula. As you know, Sulu is already part of Region 9, so we will also be serving them,” Mayor Olaso said.

Veloso emphasized that these improvements, from facilities to dialogues, are about restoring dignity to the member experience, citing the example of retired teachers who previously traveled long distances only to wait in line for hours.

“Every claim processed within these walls helps a family. Every loan granted builds a home or sends a child to school,” Veloso said. “Here in Zamboanga, we are committed to prove that government service can be modern, efficient, and compassionate.”