MANILA, Feb. 13 (PNA) — The government is facilitating benefits for the families of the 44 members of the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) who died as well as those wounded in the bloody clash last Jan. 25 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.
According to Employees Compensation Commission (ECC) Executive Director Stella Banawis, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) will process the benefits of the government personnel.
“Ang mangyayari, they (GSIS) are going to process all the funeral benefits in just one branch and then for pickup na lang by the families of the victims,” she said in an interview.
Banawis added, “Sa Quezon City branch, dito ipo-process, tapos pipickup-in kung saan na lang branch ng GSIS sila malapit. So that is the facilitation they are doing.”
She noted that the benefits have not been released since they are still in the process of encoding the information of the beneficiaries.
“Kailangan kasi, ma-established kung sino ang beneficiary, and also we are finalizing yung approval ng Board ng ECC na hindi na hihingin yung madaming requirements kundi very minimal na lang yun,” Banawis said.
The benefits for those who died include death benefits and funeral benefits amounting to PhP20,000.
“Iba-iba ang halagang matatanggap nila, depende sa salary but the funeral benefits, that is PhP20,000,” she explained.
As for those who were injured, Banawis said they were already able to secure the list and their regional offices have already visited the families.
“Doon sa wounded, it has to be applied by the families sa branch ng GSIS nearest to them. Ang makukuha nila dito yung disability benefits, lost of income benefits…” she added. (PNA)