The alleged move of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to make its office here a satellite office while making Zamboanga City a regional office has caught the attention of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan.

In its first regular session for 2008 last January 3, the lone lawyer member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Baldomero Fernandez reported this matter to the august body for the SP to pass Resolution No. 2K8-204 requesting Congressmen Victor J. Yu and Antonio H. Cerilles to intercede for and in behalf of the GSIS members in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, including from the neighboring cities and provinces opposing to this move.

Asserting that Pagadian City is already the Regional Center of Region 9, the provincial legislators found it ironic when majority of the regional offices from Zamboanga City are moving in pursuant to EO 429 while the GSIS is doing the opposite.

Alongside with its move, the Provincial Board, likewise wanted the City Council to pass its own resolution vehemently opposing the transfer of 25 GSIS employees to Zamboanga City considering that the regional center is indeed Pagadian City and no longer Zamboanga City

However, according to Engr. Nelly Sisona, executive director of the  Regional Transfer Coordinating Office, City Mayor Sammy S. Co already reported this situation to Malacañang.  On December 28, he also wrote to GSIS Regional Manager reminding them to establish the Regional Office in Pagadian City in compliance to Executive Order 429.

Up to this time, however, they are still waiting for the reply, Sisona said.

Meantime, the Provincial Board averred that GSIS Pagadian not only caters members from Zamboanga del Sur province, members from Misamis Occidental province, cities of Ozamis, Tangub and nearby municipalities transact their GSIS transactions here for proximity and convenience.

In a phone interview with the OIC GSIS Manager Teresita B. Hassan, she admitted that starting this year, the national office will start implementing its Regionalization Mapping with Naga City as pilot area.

For Region 9, although she denied having received a memorandum of their transfer to Zamboanga City leaving Pagadian branch as satellite office but she said that probably it shall be this February.

At present, GSIS Pagadian has 35 personnel and according to Hassan if the regionalization is effect, 25 would be transferred to Zamboanga City leaving the other 10 here to man the satellite office.  The same applies in Dipolog City where majority of its personnel will be integrated to the over 60 workforce in Zamboanga City.

Last update : 21-01-2008 18:18

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