Policy on Surviving Spouse Eligibility for Benefits

GSIS Board Resolution No. 79 approves and confirms the Policy and Procedural Guidelines on Eligibility of Surviving Spouse to Survivorship Benefits Amid Issues of Dependency and Contrary Claim or Information.
The resolution directs that the approved policy and procedural guidelines become a standing implementing guideline for GSIS’s internal use.
The approval and confirmation are based on the recommendation of the Senior Vice President of the Corporate Services Group and Corporate Planning Office, appearing in a memorandum dated 9 June 2014.

The policy and procedural guidelines are issued to provide rules for the interpretation of surviving spouse eligibility for survivorship benefits when dependency is contested.
The policy and procedural guidelines are issued to address the determination of the proper survivorship beneficiary amid contrary claim or information.
The resolution states an organizational objective of ensuring uniform implementation of the revised guidelines across the entire organization.

GSIS Board Resolution No. 45 dated 10 February 2011 approved PPG No. 207-11, which provided guidelines on the entitlements of beneficiaries to survivorship benefits.
Subsequent amendments were issued through Board Resolution No. 166 dated 14 July 2011 adopting PPG No. 207-11(a).
Further amendments were issued through Board Resolution No. 261 dated 15 December 2011 adopting PPG No. 207-11(b).
The prior amendments were described as simplifying documentary requirements submitted by beneficiaries or legal heirs of the deceased member or pensioner to facilitate immediate processing of funeral, death, or survivorship claims.

The resolution recognizes that GSIS faces survivorship benefit claims involving the issue of the surviving spouse’s dependency on the member as an eligibility requirement.
The resolution links the dependency issue to the factual circumstance of separation-in-fact of the spouses.
The resolution requires rules to interpret surviving spouse eligibility with respect to dependency amid separation-in-fact issues.
The resolution requires rules to identify the proper survivorship beneficiary when there is contrary claim or information.

The resolution indicates it was adopted on June 26, 2014.
The resolution was filed on July 21, 2014.
The resolution provides that the attached policy and procedural guidelines are an integral part of the resolution, tying the operational rules to the resolution approval.