 Government Service Insurance System 

Survivorship

Recognizing that pension is an earned right and not a privilege, the Board of Trustees
restored the survivorship benefit of surviving spouses of members and pensioners even if
they are gainfully employed and receiving other sources of income or pension.

Implemented in December 2010, the new basic survivorship pension (BSP) payable to the
surviving spouse is equivalent to 50% of the basic minimum pension received by the
deceased member or pensioner. However, the maximum limit for survivorship pension
should not exceed Step 8 of the current salary of an undersecretary under the Salary
Standardization Law.

The dependent’s pension for the children of the deceased member is equivalent to 10% of the
basic minimum pension payable until the age of majority. Payment of BSP to the dependent
spouse shall be discontinued in case the latter remarries, cohabits or engages in a common-
law relationship.

When members or pensioners die,  their beneficiaries are entitled to cash and/or pension
benefits, subject to the existing rules and regulations on survivorship and policies on the
maximum amount of survivorship pension.

Coverage

1. All primary and secondary beneficiaries residing in the Philippines or abroad

who are existing survivorship pensioners or claiming for survivorship benefit;
2. Those who were receiving survivorship benefits but were suspended when the
policy on the same was amended and implemented in August 2009; and
3. Those who applied for survivorship benefits but were disapproved due to the
issuance/approval of Management Implementing Guidelines (MIG) 01-2009
dated October 22, 2009 that took effect as early as August 2009, and MIG 04-
2010 dated April 26, 2010.

Eligibility Requirements
 1. When a member or pensioner dies, the primary beneficiaries (surviving legal
spouse and dependent children) or secondary beneficiaries, as the case may
be, shall be entitled to the applicable survivorship benefits.
2. The primary beneficiaries[1] shall be the following:
The legitimate spouse, until s/he re-marries, or co-habits/engages in
2.1
common-law relationship; and
The dependent legitimate, legally adopted or legitimated children,
including illegitimate children, who have not reached the age of
2.2 majority, or, have reached the age of majority but incapacitated and
incapable of self-support due to a mental or physical defect acquired
prior to age of majority.
3. The secondary beneficiaries shall be the dependent parents and, subject to the
restrictions on dependent children, the legitimate descendants[2].

The secondary beneficiaries shall only be entitled to survivorship benefits if there are no
primary beneficiaries[3].

Maximum Amount of Survivorship Pension

1. The surviving spouse shall be entitled to basic survivorship pension which is

fifty percent (50%) of the Basic Monthly Pension (BMP) but not to exceed fifty
percent (50%) of the current Step 8[4] salary of an Undersecretary, pursuant to
the Salary Standardization Law and its amendments.For example, if the salary
of an Undersecretary is equal to Php63,380.00 and Basic Monthly Pension
(BMP) of the deceased member/pensioner is equal to Php70,000.00, the
maximum amount of survivorship pension is Php31,690.00 (50% of P63,380.00)
for the surviving spouse, not Php35,000.00 (50% of Php70,000.00).However, the
existing survivorship pensioners (surviving spouse) who are receiving more
than the said limit shall not be subjected to this policy.
2. The dependent children shall be entitled to dependent children’s pension for a
maximum of five (5) children, equivalent to 10% of the BMP for each child but
not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of the BMP, counted from the youngest and
without substitution.

Retroactive Application
For survivorship pensioners whose survivorship pensions were suspended as a result of the
previous policy, the amounts accruing for the period they were suspended shall be restored
by  GSIS, subject to the maximum amount of survivorship pension provided under this policy.

On the other hand, for surviving spouse whose applications for survivorship benefits were
denied as a result of the previous policy, their applications may be submitted to GSIS, and if
found to be qualified, their benefits shall be granted and computed retroactively, subject to
the maximum amount of survivorship pension provided under this policy.

The maximum amount of basic survivorship pension prevailing at the time of death of the
member or pensioner shall apply. Any subsequent increase/s in the Step 8 salary of an
Undersecretary will not result in any adjustment to the survivorship pension already being
received by the surviving spouse.

Disqualification / Discontinuance to Entitlement to Survivorship Pension of Dependent

Spouse and/or Children

1. The payment of survivorship pension to the surviving spouse shall be

discontinued when s/he re-marries, cohabits/engages in common-law
relationship.
2. In the case of the dependent children, survivorship pension shall be
discontinued upon reaching the age of majority.
3. When the dependent spouse and dependent children are already receiving the
basic survivorship pension and dependent children’s pension, respectively, any
subsequent death, emancipation or disqualification of any one of them shall
not result in the accrual of that portion of benefits to the other beneficiaries.

Documentary Requirements
1. Basic Documents

Application Form
Certification by agency/employer as to whether the deceased has a pending
administrative/criminal case
Death certificate of member/pensioner issued by the National Statistics Office
(NSO)
Last Day of Actual Service; and
Two (2) valid IDs of payees
2. If Married

Marriage certificate between the deceased and his/her spouse issued by NSO
Affidavit of Surviving spouse
If spouse is not a GSIS member, Birth Certificate issued by NSO
Birth Certificate/s of minor/incapacitated children issued by NSO
If with minor/incapacitated children, Affidavit of Guardianship
If the legal guardian is not the natural parent, the affidavit should be supported
by a Certification from the Barangay and DSWD

3. If Single

If with minor/incapacitated children, Affidavit of Guardianship

If the legal guardian is not the natural parent, the affidavit should be supported
by a Certification from the Barangay and DSWD; and
If guardian is not a GSIS member, Birth Certificate issued by NSO

4. If without primary beneficiary (with Parents)

Birth Certificate of member issued by NSO

Marriage Contract of member’s parents issued by NSO
Birth Certificate of member’s parents issued by NSO if parents are not GSIS
members/pensioners.

5. If without primary beneficiary (without Parents; with Siblings)

Birth Certificate of member issued by NSO

Marriage Contract of member’s parents issued by NSO
Death Certificates of member’s parents issued by NSO
Birth Certificate of member’s parents issued by NSO
Affidavit of Surviving Legal Heirs stating among others that affiants are the only
surviving legal heirs of the deceased member, their date of birth and
relationship to the deceased member and that they are executing the
document for the purpose of claiming the benefit from GSIS
Birth Certificate of all the siblings of the deceased member issued by NSO
 Marriage Contract of all the female siblings of the deceased member issued by
NSO
If with deceased brother or sister, extra judicial settlement among the legal
heirs of the deceased brother / sister of the member designating one payee

6. Additional Requirements for Muslim Members

Proof of Surviving legal heirs indicating all the wives and children
If only one (1) spouse is claiming: submit duly notarized affidavit that her
husband has no other marriages/wife
Court Order for Guardianship should be issued in the absence of parent for
minor children
Application for survivorship must be duly endorsed by the office and a
certification indicating the legal spouse/s and children/s of the deceased

Effectivity
The above policies on survivorship benefits shall be implemented retroactively from the time
the existing policies on eligibility requirements of a surviving spouse to survivorship benefits
were adopted.

[1] Sections 2 (f) and (g), Republic Act No. 8291

[2] Sections 2 (h)

[3] Section 21 (c)

[4] Step 8 is equivalent to P63,380.00.

Frequently Asked Questions on Survivorship Benefits

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