ROBERT G. VERGARA

President and General Manager Government Service Insurance System (GSIS)

Having worked in the fields of finance and investment management in prosperous nations such as the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and United States of America, one would think that there is nothing more to see, much less to prove for Robert G. Vergara, who earned his MBA in no less than the Harvard Business School.

Yet, the noted banker and finance manager thought differently. He left private practice in 2010 to make a difference in his own country, specifically in the lives of nearly 1.9 million government employees and pensioners here.

As the leader of GSIS, Vergara has been literally and figuratively all over the place to turn things around for what was once considered a “member-insensitive” agency. He employed open and active engagement of members and pensioners through nationwide face-to-face dialogues that have resulted in a change in stakeholders’ perception of GSIS. Anchored on the slogan “GSIS: Maaasahan ng Lingkod Bayan,” these dialogues gave a big boost in rebranding the image of GSIS as more consultative, transparent, and service-responsive.

His words, of course, would be futile without corresponding execution. Within the organization, Vergara continued to be a presence, pushing and motivating his people to provide responsive service to its stakeholders. Points and issues raised and gathered from his consultations with various public sector unions were also used to develop and implement member-friendly reforms and policies. Apart from their offices, nearly one thousand GSIS Wireless Automated Processing System kiosks have also been deployed all over the country. Their employees are also regularly informed and updated on policies and programs so they could also serve as GSIS ambassadors in their communities.

Vergara has won left and right for his work in GSIS, but he sees more value in empowering his people and stakeholders by providing them information, listening to what they have to say, and simply being there for them.