House OKs on second reading bill lowering optional retirement age for gov’t workers to 56

The House  of Representatives on Wednesday approved on second reading the bill lowering the optional retirement age for government workers from 60 to 56 years old.

This developed after the House, via a voice vote, approved House Bill 206.

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro of ACT Teachers party-list, one of the authors of the measure, noted that the measure is in accordance to 1991 United Nations Principles for Older Persons  which states that “Older persons should be able to participate in determining when and at what pace withdrawal from the labor force takes place.” 

“Ang mga kawani ng pamahalaan na nakapagsilbi na ng labinlimang taon, sa minimum, at umabot na ng 56 years old ay dapat bigyan ng layang makapag-retire, na may benepisyong old-age pension habang sila ay nabubuhay,” Castro said in her sponsorship speech of the measure.

(A government worker who has served 15 years and reached the age of 56 should have the option to retire and enjoy their pension.)

Castro said that herself and her Makabayan bloc colleagues have filed the measure dating back to the 16th Congress or 2013 because the measure always had the support of public school teachers and other government sectors such as health, local government units, judiciary, among others.

“Sa panahong ito, nakatanggap ang aming opisina at ang Komite ng napakaraming position paper, mensahe, at iba pang pahayag ng pagtulak at suporta para sa mas maagang optional retirement age. Ang pinakamalalaking sektor ng pamahalaan ay edukasyon, kalusugan, at social welfare, kung saan marami ang empleyadong ilang taon na lang ay senior citizen na——ang mga opisina ring pinakamahirap at pinakanakakapagod ang trabaho,” Castro said.

(We received a lot of position papers and statements of support for this measure, especially in the education, health and social welfare sector wherein most employees are already aged 60 and above and yet they are the ones performing the most difficult and exhausting jobs.)

“Marami sa mga kababayan nating ito ay may mga inaalagaan na [may] mga sakit at kondisyon, hindi na kaya o hindi mainam para sa kanilang kalusugan ang araw-araw na pagsabak sa work-related at iba pang uri ng stress,” she added.

(Many of them are already having health issues. and that is why it is not conducive for them to be continuously exposed to work-related stress on an everyday basis.)

Castro underscored that while government employees can apply for early retirement due to permanent disability, such an option is not widely available based on the standards set by the Government Service Insurance System.

This is on top of the fact that the amount of benefits for those who filed retirement due to permanent disability is lesser than the ordinary retirement pay.

“Kadalasan, napipilitan na lang silang mag-unpaid leaves na pulit-ulit o sa mahahabang panahon.  Kung umalis naman sila bago mag-60, wala na silang income sa kasalukuyan, at wala na ring maaasahang retirement pay sa hinaharap,” Castro said.

(Most of the time, they are just forced to take unpaid or extended leaves. If they retire before 60, they won’t have a fixed income stream, and no retirement pay to depend on.)

“Kung paipiliin lang sila, hindi na nila nanaising magtiis sa ganitong prospects, at marami nang nagsabi sa amin: “Sana ay ma-enjoy namin ang retirement namin habang may kakayanan pa kaming i-enjoy ito,” Castro added.

(Given the choice, they won’t settle for such bleak prospects, and many of them have said that they want to enjoy the fruits of their labor while they still can.)

Castro also said such measure will not deplete the GSIS fund for pensions.

She said that GSIS estimates of fund depletion as a result of the measure does not factor in the following:

• the average retirement age for government workers is 62 years old
• the new graduates who will enter the workforce
• reforms and other management policies that the GSIS could implement to improve its financial health as mandated by its charter

“Samakatuwid, dapat ipasa na natin, sa pinakamadaling panahon, ang House Bill 206, gaya ng pag-apruba natin nito noong 17th at 18th Congresses,” she added.

(Therefore, we should pass this bill into law as soon as possible, just like what we did in 17th and 18th Congress.) — RSJ, GMA Integrated News