State pension fund Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has donated office equipment to the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) to help alleviate the strain from its operations and facilitate the continuity of its essential services. The donation includes 45 tables, 45 chairs, 7 laptops, and 66 desktops.
Since the destructive fire on May 22 that razed the Manila Central Post Office, post office personnel, undeterred by the calamity, have been working diligently from a makeshift tent set up near the fire-ravaged building.
Highlighting the interconnected support network among government institutions, GSIS President and General Manager Wick Veloso said “this is the government we are a part of, a system that rallies together in times of adversity to ensure that there is no disruption in serving the public.”
PGM Wick Veloso officially handed over the donation to Atty. Lori Ann Atal, PhilPost’s Officer in Charge and Assistant Postmaster General for Administration and Finance. The turnover was witnessed by Mr. Christian M. Aquino, Audit Team Leader of the General Disbursement and Settlement from the Commission on Audit (COA).
The GSIS Physical Resources Disposal Committee has authorized the donation of serviceable furniture and IT equipment to PhilPost through Resolution No. 2023-001. This decision aims to maximize the items’ utility and minimize unnecessary waste.
The damaged Philpost building and its contents are insured with GSIS for Php604 million. GSIS and its adjusters, BA Insight are working together to finalize the report, which is required before the fire insurance claim can be disbursed to the corporation.
“We are very much aware of the historical significance of the building and we would like to assist in its rebuilding efforts in every possible way,” Veloso said.
The Manila Central Post Office Building was inaugurated in 1927 and designed by leading Filipino architects Tomas Mapua and Juan Arellano. It was declared as an Important Cultural Property (ICP) by the National Museum in 2018. The building is also renowned for its neoclassical architecture and wide collection of stamps.
