More than 500,000 government workers and pensioners have received loan refunds under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Balik Ginhawa program, with P7.3 billion credited to accounts as of April 20.
GSIS said 598,420 members applied for the program. Of these, 525,447 were confirmed eligible and already received their refunds—about 9 out of 10 applicants. A total of P7.5 billion has been approved for release, with the remaining funds to be credited in the coming days.
GSIS president Jose Arnulfo Veloso said the initiative supports the government’s effort to provide financial relief to public workers and retirees.
The program is part of the government’s Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (UPLIFT), which aims to help Filipinos cope with rising living costs.
Under Balik Ginhawa, qualified members receive a lump-sum refund equivalent to up to three months of loan payments—from December 2025 to February 2026. Regular deductions will continue, and loan terms will be extended without added interest or penalties.
To qualify, members must have no unpaid loan balances at the time of application. Eligibility and refund amounts can be checked through the GSIS Touch mobile app, where applications are also submitted.
The program is optional, and applications will be accepted until October 31, 2026.
