“Link error.” This was what I would customarily hear from the manager of a giant bank which operates a branch in Tacloban. He would use this as an excuse whenever their automated teller machine would not dispense a single peso bill but does a debit on my remittance from abroad. Link error, as i understood, meant an interference in the communication link berween the two systems that would create such detrimental effect. This does not in any way differ from the link error in communication that could cause a situation on which people could just be anxious about. As in any human relations, miscommunication or worse the lack of communication makes connectivity a little erratic and understanding problematic. Worse is, when a simple confusion escalates into a conflict and naivete into nuisance only because people failed to meet minds. A similar instance was the recent perplexity that enveloped the consciousness of trial court employees in turfs afftected by the supertyphoon Yolanda. The confusion stemmed from the sudden reinstatement of the monthly amortization in the loans secured by trial court employees from the Government Service Insurance System. Although the GSIS has circularized a 6-month moratorium on the payment of loans taken out by concerned lower court employees, these same loans were, without prior notice to the borrowers, soon returned to their payroll after two months reprieve. Some employees wondered why was the moratorium (technically the deferment of payment of outstanding loans) stopped too soon, that is two months after it was commenced, that is March and April 2014? They were of the impression that the moratorium is to be implemented for six months reckoned from the day of its implementation. Little did they know that the moratorium was to be effected simultaneously specifically from November 2013 to April 2014. Only recently, this moratorium was extended to another 6-month period within the same areas hardest hit by megastorm Yolanda, that is from May to October this year. This moratorium is the GSIS’ way of reaching out and helping the members and pensioners in Yolanda-striken towns and cities. Loans covered under the moratorium include consolidated loans, housing loans, policy loans, and eCash Advances, according to GSIS. Lately, it was reported that the GSIS is extending the moratorium from May to October this year. Nevertheless, in the situation of lower courts employees benefitted, the first deferment of payment was only made in March and April. According to an EDP personnel in the Supreme Court this delay was due to the non-receipt of the EDP Department of the official copy of the moratorium and the fact that payrolls for lower courts were prepared two.months in advance. This month of May, the moratorium was not effected due to the same reasons that the EDP personnel disclosed. However, an assurance was made by the EDP incharge of the respective areas that the extension will be felt in June until October 2014. One persobnel claimed that he did not anymore waited for the copy from the GSIS, but took it upon himself to get a copy of the extended moratorium. This delay in the implementation of the moratorium is an offshoot of a link error in communication that could have been avoided had the GSIS been prompt in providing the SC EDP department the official copy of the circular mandated. Thanks to those who bombarded the SC EDP department with complaints and inquiries, and the initiative of the EDP personnel in securing the said copy, most members and pensioners who are covered by the moratorium, could once again enjoy the benefits they could derive from such moratorium.
