(REMATE) MANILA, Philippines- Nakatakdang pagdebatehan ang isang panukalang batas na magbabalasa sa pension system ng militar military and uniformed personnel (MUP) matapos itong isalang sa plenaryo ng Senado.
Natuklasan ito sa paghahain ni Senador Jinggoy Estrada sa Committee Report 173 ng Senate Bill (SB) 2501, na may layuning itakda ang mandatory contribution sa bagong pasok sa Armed Forces of the Philippines at iba pang uniformed services.
“Whatever is being enjoyed by the current pensioners and whatever is expected by those currently in active service, will still be enjoyed and received by them. In fact, for some of them, the retirement pay will be higher by five percentage points,” ayon kay Estrada sa kanyang sponsorship speech.
“Hindi po gagalawin, hindi po babaguhin, at hindi po papakialaman ng isinusulong nating panukalang batas ang pensyon ng mga pensyonadong retirado. Wala rin pong magiging pagbaba sa inaasahang pensyon ng kasalukuyang mga nasa serbisyo,” wika pa niya.
Nakatakda sa SB 2501 na kailangan gmagbahagi ang bagong pasok sa military service ng 7% ng kanyang monthly base pay at longevity pay na may 14% mula government share.
Para sa naman sa uniformed services, nakatakdang magbahagi ang bagong pasok sa Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Corrections, at Hydrography Branch of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) ng 9% ng kanilang monthly base pay and longevity pay na may 12% government share.
Lilikha ng trust fund para sa Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at isang hiwalay para sa uniformed services, na parehong pamamahalaan ng Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).
Itinakda sa SB 2501 ang retirement age ng uniformed services sa 57 taong gulang.
“The monthly retirement pay under the bill is set at 50% of the base pay and longevity pay of the permanent grade last held by the personnel in case of 20 years in active duty, increasing by 2.5% for every year of active duty rendered beyond 20 years to a maximum of 90% for 36 years of active duty and over” ayon sa panukalang batas.
“I sincerely hope that this will be the Congress that finally addresses this pressing concern affecting not only the fiscal position of the country but also the stability of the defense establishment and the uniformed services as persistent talks of reforming the pension system stir trepidation and uneasiness among their ranks,” paliwanag ni Estrada.
Base sa pagtataya ng economic team, sa pamumuno ni Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno na nagbabala sa kahihinatnan ng pension payments, mayroong taunang payout na aabot sa P1 trillion mark sa 2035 mula sa P213 billion ngayong 2023. Ernie Reyes