RETIREMENT. Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. (3rd from left), together with members of the Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees pose for a photo with “YES TO LOWERING OF RETIREMENT AGE” placards as a support to the measures seeking to lower the age of retirement for government employees. (Photo courtesy of Office of Senator Ramon Revilla Jr.)
MANILA – Various measures promoting the welfare of government workers were discussed on Wednesday by the Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, seeking to lower the retirement age of government employees from 65 to 60 years old for compulsory retirement and from 60 to 56 years old for optional retirement; and the automatic promotion of government employees upon retirement.
Senator Ramon Revilla Jr., committee chairperson, who presided over the discussion, stressed the role of government employees and the importance of passing into law these measures.
"They are the State’s partners in delivering essential services to our countrymen. And with the role they play in bridging our government closer to our 'kababayans' (countrymen), they may very well be considered as frontliners," he said.
With his filed Senate Bill No. 183, Revilla is pushing to amend Republic Act No. 8291 or the “Government Service Insurance System Act of 1997” to allow government employees to retire and receive retirement benefits at an earlier age of 56.
Since the 18th Congress, the lawmaker said he has been pushing for the passage of this measure hoping it would finally be approved after being recently passed in the House of Representatives.
"Marami rin tayong kasamahan sa Senado na sumusuporta sa magandang hangarin nito, buo ang loob ko na maitutulak talaga natin ang pagkakapasa nito (We also have many colleagues here in the Senate who supports this good initiative, I am confident that we can push for its passage),” Revilla said.
The Civil Service Commission expressed its support for the bill during the hearing citing that “there is a need for a better retirement plan for the public sector that is responsive to the current economic situation and would honor the government’s civil servants selfless service to the nation.”
Meanwhile, measures seeking to provide automatic promotion to government employees upon retirement were also discussed.
Included in these measures is Senate Bill No. 1568 filed by Revilla seeking for retiring government employees to be granted an automatic promotion equivalent to one grade higher than their salary grade at the time of their retirement, with the intent that the adjusted salary grade will be the basis for the computation of their retirement benefits.
“Karapat-dapat lang na ipagkaloob natin sa ang ating mga lingkod-bayan ang automatic promotion. Ito naman ay hindi kalabisan para masuklian natin ang dedikasyon at pagsusumikap na kanilang pinamalas sa pagsisilbi hindi lang sa ating pamahalaan, kundi sa taumbayan mismo (Government workers deserve this automatic promotion. This is not redundant for us to reciprocate the dedication and hard work that they show in serving not only the government, but the public),” he said.
Under the current pension system of the military and uniformed personnel, they are automatically promoted one rank higher upon retirement and can receive their pension after 20 years of service, with no minimum pensionable age.
The monthly pension is also automatically indexed to the salary of active personnel. (PNA)
