By Clara Mae Hortelano

CLOSE to 500 government employees from various agencies and offices in Negros Occidental joined Wednesday a nationally-coordinated protest action in front of the Government Service and Insurance System in Tangub, Bacolod City to air their grievances on the alleged mismanagement and misuse of funds by GSIS top officials.

The employees held a caravan at 1 p.m. around major streets in Bacolod City and later converged at the GSIS building.

Danny Alcoriza, Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) regional vice president, said the group is demanding the ouster of Winston Garcia, GSIS president and general manager.

They also urged President Arroyo to cleanse the entire GSIS administration.

Alcoriza said they will continue with the rallies until Garcia is removed from GSIS because of “rampant misuse of funds, corruption and mismanagement in the agency.”

“We are not calling for the resignation of Garcia but for his ouster,” Alcoriza said. The rallyists carried placards bearing slogans stating “Garcia... Salot, Imbestigahan and Sibakin.”

Prior to the picket rally, a commotion took place between the government employees and the agency’s security guards who barred their entry to the GSIS compound.

Only two representatives from the government employees were allowed to enter first and talk with local GSIS officials.

Joselito Roldan Sr., GSIS Bacolod branch manager, said they closed the gate of GSIS and requested the guards to secure the gates to avoid any untoward incident during the rally.

“We have allowed them to enter the compound and that all their grievances are addressed to GSIS office in Manila,” he said.

Roldan also said that he can assure the protestors that the agency still has ample funds for its members in the years to come as backed up by a report of the Commission on Audit that GSIS is still financially stable.

He admitted though that the agency’s computerization program caused the delays of loan processing and releases.

On the other hand, Roldan noted that they have granted at least 2,814 salary loans, 2,304 policy loans and 135 processed retirement cases.

“As of October 7, we have actually released a total of P166 million,” he said.

The amount released on policy loans reached P29 million, P66 million for salary loans, P69 million for retirement and P2 million for life or maturity loans, he added.

Those loans who were processed and granted were those filed from April to June of this year from DepEd and non-DepEd members.

Those who participated in Wednesday’s rally were employees of national government agencies, local government units, government financial institutions, health workers and elementary and secondary teachers, among others.

10/10/2003

Bron : Sun Star

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