The Department of Education has yet to remit P4.47 billion worth of GSIS premium contributions and loan amortizations deducted from the salaries of teaching and non-teaching personnel as of end-2022, the Commission on Audit said in its annual report.
“[This is] exposing concerned personnel to penalties/interest that could result in undue limitations in enjoying privileges and benefits conferred under the GSIS law,” the GSIS said in COA’s 2022 annual audit report.
DepEd Region 6 accounted for almost half of the amount with P2.19billion in unremitted premium contributions and loan amortizations, followed by Region 9 with P580.8 million.
Of DepEd’s 12 regional offices, only those in Regions 2, 7, 8, and 10 did not accumulate any unremitted GSIS dues.
“It is vital for agencies to withhold and remit all monthly premium contributions within the prescribed period for members to enjoy and access all privileges and benefits that are due to them,” COA said.
“Thus, the failure by the DepEd Offices to remit the premium contributions deprived their employees of the opportunity to avail of loan privileges, earn yearly dividends, and such other benefits offered to all GSIS members thereby causing undue injury to them,” COA added.
For its part, DepEd said it has been working with GSIS to resolve the issues “spanning several years.”
“We have been holding regular/monthly meetings with GSIS to address all the issues/concerns of our teachers,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa told GMA News Online.
“In fact, a memorandum of agreement between the GSIS and DEpEd has been recently signed. In the said MOA, the GSIS has committed to providing account officers that will exclusively cater to DepEd personnel concerns,” he said.
“We have previously responded to the COA observation and have relayedthe steps being taken by DepEd. That is why in the same COA report,
COA rendered an Unqualified Opinion in favor of DepEd for 2022—a first in DepEd history,” he added.
Aside from GSIS dues, DepEd also failed to remit P207.034 million to
PhilHealth, P193.768 million to Pag-IBIG, and P572.6 million to the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
As of end-2022, DepEd has 879,793 teachers, 63,610 teaching-related workers, and 72,663 non-teaching personnel. With Rio Araja
