REVILLA ADVANCES BILLS ON GOVERNMENT WORKERS’ RETIREMENT BENEFITS
SENATOR Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. on Wednesday (August 30) led the Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation as it held a hearing on two measures promoting the welfare of the country’s pool of government workers – lowering 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. Revilla chairs the Committee.
“Hindi natin maitatanggi ang ginagampanang papel ng mga kawani ng pamahalaan sa ating lipunan. 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, they may very well be considered as frontliners. Salamat sa kanilang tapat at masigasig na panunungkulan, walang patid ang paghahatid ng serbisyo publiko. Kaya nararapat lamang na patuloy nating isulong ang kanilang kapakanan sa pamamagitan ng pagsasabatas ng mga panukalang ito,” the veteran lawmaker said.
Included in the agenda of the public hearing is the Revilla-authored Senate Bill No. 1832. The measure seeks to amend Republic Act No. 8291 or the “Government Service Insurance System Act of 1997” so that a government employee can already retire and receive retirement benefits at an earlier age of 56.
“Sa dapit-hapon ng buhay ng ating mga lingkod-bayan, hangad nating suklian ang paninilbihan nila sa ating bayan sa pamamagitan ng pagbibigay sa kanila ng pagkakataong matamasa ang ginhawa ng retirement at ang kalakip na benepisyo nito sa maagang panahon, at their option. Sabi nga e, tatanda at lilipas din tayo, ngunit kung mayroon tayong maiiwan na alaala sa kanila, nawa’y isang masayang alaala ang ating maihandog sa bawat isang retiradong kawani ng gobyerno sa pamamagitan ng panukalang ito,” the Senate Civil Service Committee Chair said.
Revilla further noted that he has been pushing for the passage of legislative measure since the 18th Congress and hopes that it would finally be approved during the current congress.
“Noong nakaraang kongreso pa lang ay sinisikap na nating maipasa itong panukalang batas na ito. Kaya naman ngayon na naipasa na ito sa mababang kapulungan at marami rin tayong kasamahan sa Senado na sumusuporta sa magandang hangarin nito, buo ang loob ko na maitutulak talaga natin ang pagkakapasa nito,” the solon remarked.
During the hearing, the Civil Service Commission supported the passage of the bill 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.”
The committee also tackled measures proposing to provide automatic promotion to government employees upon retirement, of which Revilla is also one of the authors.
In his Senate Bill No. 1568, Revilla is pushing that retiring government employees 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,” Revilla articulated.
“Pangako po na patuloy akong mananatiling tapat sa aking hangarin na laging protektahan at isulong ang kapakanan ng ating mga masisipag at magagaling na kawani ng gobyerno. As I always express, we have an efficiently running government because we have efficient and excellent civil servants. Kaya tuloy po ang ating pakikibaka para sa inyo,” Revilla closed. -30-