Civil Service Committee hears bills on lifetime validity of birth certificate, lowering the mandatory and optional retirement age of government employees

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr., Chairman of the Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, led the virtual hearing on bills proposing lifetime validity of birth certificate and lowering the optional retirement age of government employees.

Revilla noted that while the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) already publicly declared on numerous occasions that the birth certificates they issue have no expiration, several government agencies and private organizations still require these documents using the latest security paper which cost the applicant P155 for an authenticated copy and P365 when delivered at their personal address.

“This requirement costs our people valuable time and money. Lalo na po ngayong panahon ng pandemya ung kailan apektado nang husto ang ating ekonomiya, anumang karagdagang gastusin ay iindahin talaga ng mga kababayan natin. Dagdag pa rito ang panganib o risk na mahawahan ng virus kung sila ay lalabas ng bahay upang kumuha ng birth certificate,” Revilla said.

The resource persons, including the PSA, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the Department of Education (DepEd), expressed full support on the measures.

The committee also discussed the lowering of retirement age of government employees and consulted several agencies including the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Department of  Budget and Management (DBM), as well as non-government associations such as the Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA), Philippine Public School Teachers Associations (PPSTA), Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), Teachers Dignity Coalition, Alliance for Concerned Teachers (ACT), Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO), Non-Uniformed Personnel Association, Inc. (NUPAI).

“Ang paglilingkod sa bayan bilang isang kawani ng pamahalaan ay isang karangalan. Ang karangalang ito ay tinatapatan naman nila ng sipag at dedikasyon sa kanilang trabaho. Kaya’t ang mga umaabot ng retirement age sa gobyerno ay maituturing na mga haligi at huwaran ng serbisyo publiko,” he underscored.

Revilla stressed that the retirees should be able to enjoy the benefits due them. “Lowering the retirement age will ensure that our senior citizens will be able to enjoy the fruits of their labor and spend more time with their family and friends as well as pursue other endeavours as they approach the twilight of their years,” Revilla said in Senate Bill No. 72, which proposes the lowering of compulsory retirement age of government employees from 65 to 60, and the optional retirement age from 60 to 55.

SB 715 of Sen. Joel Villanueva and SB 958 of Sen. Sonny Angara proposed the lowering of the optional retirement age of public school teachers from 60 to 55.

Meanwhile, House Bill 5509, which was approved by the House of Representatives last December 2019, lowers the optional retirement age of government workers from 60 to 56.

CSC Commissioner Aileen Lizada pointed out that the Philippines has the oldest mandatory and optional retirement age in ASEAN.

Based on the statistical data, the Philippines has the oldest retirement age at 65 years old compared to other ASEAN countries where the retirement age ranges from 50 to 60 years old. The Philippines also has the oldest optional retirement age at 60 years old, while government workers in other ASEAN countries can retire early at 40-55 years old or after 4-10 years of service.

GSIS expressed support on the measures, but posed reservations considering its possible impact to the insurance fund life.

HABAMBUHAY ANG BISA NG BIRTH CERTIFICATE AT MAPABABA ANG MANDATORY OPTIONAL RETIREMENT NG EMPLEYADO NG PAMAHALAAN PINANGUNAHAN NI REVILLA

DININIG ng Civil Service Committee ang inihaing panukalang batas na naglalayong maging habambuhay ang bisa ng birth certificate na iniisyu ng pamahalaan at mapababa ang edad ng mandatory at optional retirement ng isang empleyado ng pamahalaan.

Pinangunahan ni Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr., chairman ng Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation sa pamamagitan ng virtual hearing ang ilang panukalang batas na naglalayong mabigyan ng lifetime validity ang birth certificate na iniisyu mismo ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Natalakay din ang mga panukala na kailangang mapababa ang mandatory at optional retirement ng isang manggagawa ng pamahalaan upang maaga umano nilang mapakinabangan ang inaasahang mga benepisyo.

Ayon kay Revilla, bagama’t sinasabi ng PSA na walang expiration ang iniisyu nilang birth certificate ay kapansin-pansin ang ginagawa nilang regular na pagpapalit ng kulay ng security paper na iniimprenta bilang certificates at pinababayaran ng P155 kada kopya at nasa P365 naman kapag ididiliber pa sa mismong tahanan.

Dahil dito ay may ilang ahensiya ng pamahalaan at ilang pribadong kumpanya na hinahanapan ang ilang manggagawa o aplikante ng bagong birth certificate na hindi pa lumalagpas ng anim na buwan simula nang i-release ng PSA bilang requirements.

“This requirement costs our people valuable time and money. Lalo na po ngayong panahon ng pandemya ung kailan apektado nang husto ang ating ekonomiya, anumang karagdagang gastusin ay iindahin talaga ng mga kababayan natin. Dagdag pa rito ang panganib o risk na mahawahan ng virus kung sila ay lalabas ng bahay upang kumuha ng birth certificate,” paliwanag ni Revilla.

Kaugnay nito ay buo naman ang naging suporta ng mga resource persons, kabilang na ang PSA, ang Civil Service Commission (CSC) at ng Department of Education (DepEd) sa naturang panukala.

Tinalakay din ng komite na dapat ay mapababa na ang edad ng isang nais magretiro na empleyado ng pamahalaan at kinonsulta ang ilang mga ahensiya kabilang na ang Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Kinonsulta din maging ang non-government associations tulad ng Philippine Government Employees Association (PGEA), Philippine Public School Teachers Associations (PPSTA), Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), Teachers Dignity Coalition, Alliance for Concerned Teachers (ACT), Sentro ng Nagkakaisa at Progresibong Manggagawa (SENTRO) at Non-Uniformed Personnel Association, Inc. (NUPAI).

“Ang paglilingkod sa bayan bilang isang kawani ng pamahalaan ay isang karangalan. Ang karangalang ito ay tinatapatan naman nila ng sipag at dedikasyon sa kanilang trabaho. Kaya’t ang mga umaabot ng retirement age sa gobyerno ay maituturing na mga haligi at huwaran ng serbisyo publiko,” dagdag pa ni Revilla.

Pinaliwanag pa ni Revilla na ang maagang pagreretiro ay malaking bagay para mapakinabangan ng isang senior citizen ang bunga ng kaniyang pinaghirapan at magkaroon ng mahabang oras sa kaniyang pamilya at mga kaibigan habang malakas pa.

Binigyang diin pa ni Revilla na sa Senate Bill No. 72 na naglalayong mapababa ang edad ng compulsory retirement ng isang empleyado ng pamahalaan mula 65 anyos at maging 60 anyos na lamang at ang optional retirement na 60 anyos ay maging 55 anyos na lamang.

Ang SB 715 ni Sen. Joel Villanueva at SB 958 ni Sen. Sonny Angara ay parehong nagpanukala na mapababa ang edad ng nais mag-optional retirement na public school teacher na mula 60 ay maging 56 naman.

Samantala, ang House Bill 5509, na inaprubahan ng House of Representatives noong nakaraang Disyembre 2019, ay layon ding mapababa ang edad ng optional retirement ng manggagawa ng gobyerno mula 60 anyos at maging 56 anyos.

Kaugnay nito ay pinunto naman ni CSC Commissioner Aileen Lizada na ang Pilipinas ang may pinakamatandang edad ng mandatory at optional retirement sa buong ASEAN.

Base sa datos ng istatistika, ang Pilipinas ang may pinakamatandang edad ng pagreretiro na 65 anyos kumpara sa ibang ASEAN countries na ang pagreretiro ay nasa edad 50 hanggang 60 anyos lamang.

Ang Pilipinas din umano ang may pinakamatandang edad ng optional retirement mula 50 anyos hanggang 60 anyos habang ang mga manggagawa sa ibang ASEAN countries ay maaari nang magretiro sa edad na 45 anyos hanggang 55 anyos o pagkalipas ng 4 hanggang 10 taon sa serbisyo.

Nagpahayag naman ng suporta ang GSIS sa naturang panukala, ngunit bahagyang sinipat ang posibleng impact umano nito sa insurance fund life.