GSIS expands Balik Ginhawa coverage, clarifies refund rules
GSIS expands Balik Ginhawa 2, letting members and pensioners refund up to 6 months of loan amortizations (Dec 2025–May 2026). Apply via GSIS Touch app, July 1–Oct 31, 2026. See eligibility rules now.
NEWS
7/2/20262 min read
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has expanded its Balik Ginhawa (Loan Moratorium Through Refund) Program, allowing qualified members and pensioners to receive refunds equivalent to up to six months of eligible loan amortizations covering payments made from December 2025 to May 2026. The move aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive for more responsive government service to Filipinos.
"Patuloy na pinalalawak ng GSIS ang mga programang nagbibigay ng tunay na ginhawa sa ating mga miyembro at pensioners. Balik Ginhawa 2 was designed to give our members and pensioners additional financial breathing room. Through the enhanced program, qualified borrowers may recover up to six months of loan amortizations and use the refunded amount for their immediate needs," said GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso.
The program covers active loan accounts, including housing loans, except those under the GSIS Ginhawa Green Loans Program — the Ginhawa Solar Energy Loan (GSEL) and the Ginhawa Bike and E-Mobility Loan (GBEL).
Starting July 1 through October 31, 2026, qualified members and pensioners can file applications through the GSIS Touch mobile app for refunds covering eligible loan payments made from December 2025 to May 2026.
Any amount previously refunded under Balik Ginhawa 1 will be deducted from the total refundable amount. Members who received less than the full three-month refund under that first phase may still claim the remaining eligible amount, plus the three additional months under the enhanced program, subject to a six-month maximum.
GSIS stressed that the refund remains voluntary and requires application through the GSIS Touch app, with funds credited directly to the member's designated GSIS bank account. The pension fund also clarified that skipped payments for the covered months won't count as arrears.
"This means that qualified members who avail themselves of the program will not be penalized simply because the refunded months will reflect as unpaid. These periods are covered by the moratorium and are not treated as loan arrears," Veloso explained.
Excluded from the program: loan accounts already classified as Due and Demandable (more than six months of unpaid amortizations), fully paid or renewed loans, members with pending or processed retirement or separation claims at the time of availment, and members without a designated GSIS bank account for crediting refunds. Advance payments made before a loan's first due date are also excluded, since these count as direct payments to the loan principal rather than monthly amortizations.
Members and pensioners can check their loan status and refund eligibility through the GSIS Touch app. For more information, visit the official GSIS website or its Facebook and social media pages.