Investigating Awareness, Preparedness and Challenges of Agency Officers in Implementing GSIS Electronic Billing and Collection System (EBCS)

Abstract

Increasing unpaid compulsory premiums and high loan default rates have led to serious discussions concerning agencies under the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Cabanatuan Branch Office. Substantial attention has been made to addressing these delinquencies on premiums and loan payments. One solution is the introduction of Electronic Billing and Collection System (EBCS). The ‘Electronic Billing Remittance’ refers to the electronic billing system of the GSIS introduced in August 2003 which required the agencies to use the electronic remittance file format of the GSIS. With the continuous improvement of the billing system, the Electronic Billing and Collection System (EBCS) was implemented in July 2014. During the first few months of program implementation, some agencies could not comply immediately. It is in no discreet information that EBCS experienced major errors and technical difficulties during its implementation phase some of it concerning the ability of the government agencies and its agency officers to adjust in using the new system. The objectives of this paper is to investigate the level of awareness of the respondents on the different functionalities of electronic billing and collection system. Additionally, the researcher analyzed are the profile of the respondents and the challenges faced by Agency Officers in using EBCS and preparation for the Agency’s Electronic Remittance File (ERF). Empirical results indicated that some agency remitting officers still are not aware of all of the EBCS's features. This shows how important it is for all government agencies to improve how quickly they collect mandatory fees and loan payments. Additionally, different agency practices, budget preparation methods, and technical problems like internet connectivity make it harder to use the EBCS effectively. This shows that the system needs to be standardized and improved.