THE Senate ratified on Wednesday the bicameral conference committee report on the reconciled version of the bill prescribing the retirement age of 57 for military officers and enlisted personnel.
The third measure to be passed by the Senate under the present 19th Congress retained the three-year maximum tour of duty for the AFP Chief of Staff provided under Republic Act 11709, unless sooner terminated by the President.
The commanding generals of the three major services – the commanding generals of the Philippine Army and Philippine Air Force; and the flag officer in command of the Philippine Navy — and the superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) will retire upon completion of their maximum tour of duty of two consecutive years or upon the relief of the President.
“We have come up with a balancing act, providing a measure that will maximize the tour of duty of the AFP Chief of Staff and other key officers but which can be terminated by the President. This is perceived as the best option to address the unintended consequences of the relatively new law on the fixed tour of duty of high-ranking key military officers,” Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada said referring to RA 11709 which provides for the fixed term of duty of high-ranking key military officers, also known as the Act Strengthening Professionalism in the AFP.
“This is a product of a series of public hearings, consultation with the AFP officers, regular communications with high ranking military officials, and the Defense Department, and extensive deliberations of the members of the Senate,” Estrada, principal author and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 1849, said.
The chairperson of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security said the upper chamber endeavored to remain consistent with the intent and objectives of RA 11709 further strengthening professionalism and continuity of policies and modernization initiatives in the AFP, while addressing the sources of grumblings and unintended consequences created by the implementation of the law, specifically on career progression and advancement of the military personnel.
“After two days of floor debates in the Senate and more than four hours of grueling bicameral conference committee deliberations, we managed to come up with the best version of the amendments to RA 11709 to ensure that our AFP will be a dynamic and fully responsive organization, consistent with its constitutional mandate of being the protector of the people and the State, and securing the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory,” Estrada said.
Prior to the enactment of RA 11709, the AFP Chief of Staff had no definite or fixed term. Under RA 8186, the first law to determine and provide the percentage for the distribution of generals in the AFP, the mandatory retirement age of 56 years old is imposed on the chief of staff and all uniformed Armed Forces members.
The measure, which will be known as “An Act Further Strengthening Professionalism and Promoting the Continuity of Policies and Modernization Initiatives In the Armed Forces of Philippines, and Amending for this purpose RA No. 11709,” shall apply to officers and enlisted personnel of the AFP, also to those appointed and or promoted under RA 11709 and other pertinent laws.
Pag amyenda sa fixed term ng mga opisyal ng AFP pinagtibay na ng Senado
PINAGTIBAY ng Senado ngayong Miyerkoles ang bicameral conference committee report sa napagkasunduang bersyon ng panukalang batas na nagtatakda ng edad na 57 para sa pagretiro ng mga opisyal ng military at enlisted personnel.
Sa ikatlong panukalang batas na ipinasa ng Senado sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang 19th Congress, mananatili ang tatlong taong maximum tour of duty para sa AFP Chief of Staff na itinakda sa ilalim ng Republic Act 11709, maliban kung aalisin siya sa puwesto ng Pangulo ng mas maaga.
Ang commanding generals ng tatlong pangunahing serbisyo — Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force at Philippine Navy – at ang superintendent ng Philippine Military Academy (PMA) ay magreretiro matapos makumpleto ang kanilang dalawang taon na maximum tour of duty maliban na lang kung paiigsiin ito ng Pangulo.
“Nakapagbalangkas kami ng isang balancing act na makakapag-maximize sa tour of duty ng AFP Chief of Staff at iba pang pangunahing opisyal na maaaring paiigsin ng Pangulo kung nanaisin niya. Ito ang best option para matugunan ang unintended consequences nitong batas na nagtatakda ng fixed tour of duty ng mga matataas na opisyal ng military,” ani Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada patungkol sa RA 11709 o ang Act Strengthening Professionalism in the AFP.
“Nabuo namin ito matapos ang mga isinagawang public hearings, konsultasyon sa mga opisyal ng AFP, regular na komunikasyon sa matataas na opisyal ng military, Defense Department at malawak na deliberasyon ng mga miyembro ng Senado,” sabi ni Estrada, pangunahing may-akda at sponsor ng Senate Bill No. 1849.
Sinabi pa ng chairperson ng Senate Committee on National Defense and Security na sinikap ng mataas na kapulungan na mapanatili ang mga layunin ng RA 11709 na pinaiigting ang propesyonalismo at sinisiguro na maipagpapatuloy ang mga polisiya at modernisasyon ng AFP. Tinutugunan din ng nasabing batas ang sinasabing unintended consequences sa pagpapatupad dito, partikular na sa pag-unlad ng karera ng mga military personnel.
“Matapos ang dalawang araw na debate sa plenaryo at mahigit apat na oras na deliberasyon ng bicameral conference committee, nakagawa tayo ng masasabi natin na best version ng pag-amyenda sa RA 11709 para matiyak na ang ating AFP ay mananatiling isang organisasyon na aktibo at makatutugon sa mandato ng Konstitusyon na ito ay maging tagapagtanggol ng publiko at ng Estado pati na ng integridad ng pambansang territory,” sabi ni Estrada.
Bago naging ganap na batas ang RA 11709, walang tiyak o itinatakdang bilang ng taon na makapagsisilbi sa kanyang termino ang AFP Chief of Staff. Sa ilalim ng RA 8186, ang unang batas na nagtatakda ng porsyento para sa pamamahagi ng bilang ng mga heneral sa AFP, mandatory retirement age na 56 na pinapataw sa Chief of Staff at iba pang unipormadong miyembro ng Armed Forces.
Ang nasabing panukala na tatawaging “An Act Further Strengthening Professionalism and Promoting the Continuity of Policies and Modernization Initiatives in the Armed Forces of Philippines, and Amending for this purpose RA No. 11709,” ay sasaklaw sa lahat ng opisyal at enlisted personnel ng AFP, gayundin sa mga itinalaga o mga na-promote sa ilalim ng RA 11709 at iba pang nauugnay na batas.