In 2012, a son of a GSIS pensioner visited our Tacloban branch to inquire about how to get his father’s pension with his defective ATM card. As it turns out, his father was bedridden and the pension will be used to pay for his father’s medication.  

 However, part of our policy on over-the-counter cash withdrawal by GSIS ECard account holders (GSIS eCard Bulletin No. 15) states that only the account holder is authorized to make withdrawals or through an authorized representative duly designated and approved by the account holder.  This is subject to the existing bank policies and procedures on cash withdrawals (Reference: GC no2004-36 dated October 29, 2004 on Cash Withdrawals/Encashment Transactions). 

Wanting to help the client, I instead asked him where he lived and found out that we lived in the same subdivision. So, I made arrangements to visit the client’s residence the following day before going to work to witness his thumbprint on the withdrawal slip and card replacement request form. The family was incredibly grateful for my assistance and the service I extended to them. With that, they were able to withdraw the needed money the same day. 

A year later, I found out that that GSIS client passed away. However, the wife of the client continued to bank with us as the beneficiary of his late husband. The service I extended to her still remains in her mind today, thus inspiring her loyalty to UnionBank. 

Truly, one will never go wrong when one asserts expertise to enable and engage a member of the community that we serve. That’s UBUNTU at work!