GSIS taps PLDT for wireless kiosks

MANILA, Philippines, October 25, 2006 – The Government Service Insurance System has tapped the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. to help provide a more accessible, paperless and faster means of transaction for its 1.5 million members nationwide.

GSIS will launch tomorrow (Oct.26) the G-W@PS or GSIS Wireless Application System which aims to deploy a total of 3,000 unmanned transaction kiosks in strategic places throughout the country by 2007 where its members may file GSIS loan applications, among others.

The first of these kiosks will be inaugurated in Camiguin Island on Oct. 26. 

The GSIS kiosk will consist of an ATM-like machine with a touch-screen monitor where members may do transactions such as salary loan inquiries and applications, retirement claims, and other information services. These machines will be connected to the GSIS network via PLDT’s WeRoam.

Through this kiosk, a GSIS member may electronically file a loan application. Three days after it has verified the status of employee member and confirmed his salary deduction, GSIS will advise the member through SMS or text messaging if the loan has been approved in which case he may proceed to any Union Bank ATM; if it is still being processed or, disapproved.

“PLDT is happy to support this project that would benefit a million and a half GSIS members who now don’t have to go directly to GSIS offices for simple transactions,” said PLDT President Napoleon L. Nazareno.

With the launching of these kiosks in Camiguin, GSIS members there won’t have to go to Cagayan de Oro City just to transact business with GSIS. Many other places in far-flung areas like Camiguin will soon be the beneficiaries of these wireless kiosks