Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 16) — The Government Service Insurance System confirmed Monday that one of their employees tested positive for the coronavirus disease or COVID-19.
The female employee had a travel history to Japan and started manifesting symptoms on March 7, said GSIS President and General Manager Rolano Macasaet in a statement. The employee was admitted at the San Juan de Dios Hospital on March 11.
GSIS said they are in the process of contract tracing to prevent further spread of the infection.
“The subject employee already gave us the list of persons with whom she had close physical contact from March 7 to March 11,” Macasaet said. “We have also started notifying the persons on the list and we advised them to self-quarantine and report to us if they are experiencing symptoms.”
In light of this development, the management decided to continue the lockdown of its head office in Pasay City until April 15. GSIS on Thursday announced the temporary closure of the office, following confirmation that a resource person who attended a Senate hearing—which took place in the said building—tested positive for the viral disease.
The GSIS Branch Office in Mindanao Avenue, Quezon City will likewise be closed to the public for the same 30-day period.
Work was also suspended in its Cagayan de Oro, Tagum, and Iligan City branch offices after “several employees experienced symptoms.” The said employees are currently waiting for the test results, GSIS said.
Macaset said he also decided to self-quarantine, as he had “close physical contact with several of the individuals listed down by the employee who tested positive for COVID-19.”
According to GSIS, all other branch offices and extension offices will remain open to the public.
Old-age pensioners who are experiencing problems accessing their pensions are advised to report their concerns via the GSIS Contact Center. Meanwhile, government agencies based in Quezon City can submit their claims to the branch office in Bulacan, GSIS said.
“Individual members can also apply for a loan in any of our branches or GWAPS kiosks nearest them. Almost all of our systems and processes in GSIS are automated and computerized, and this allows us to provide our pensioners and members ‘anytime-anywhere’ access to our services,” Macaset added.
As of March 16, the Department of Health confirmed at least 140 cases of COVID-19 in the country.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday afternoon placed the entire island of Luzon under an “enhanced community quarantine,” palace spokesperson Salvador Panelo told CNN Philippines. This move translates to strict home quarantine, suspension of public transportation, regulated provision of food and essential health services, and more police and military on the ground.
