THE House of Representatives has passed on second reading the bill that seeks to lower the optional retirement age for government employees from 60 years old to 56 years old.
The bill has passed on second reading this week through a viva voce voting or a voting of ayes and nayes. It aims to allow government workers to exercise the option to terminate their employment without substantial loss to their monthly income.
The bill seeks to amend Section 13-A of Republic Act 8291, otherwise known as the "Government Service Insurance Act of 1997.”
The amendments to Section 13-A entitled Conditions of Entitlement provide that a GSIS member who retires from the government service shall be entitled to the retirement benefits in paragraph (a) of Section 13 hereof, provided that such member :1) has rendered at least 15 years of service; 2) is at least 56 years of age at the time of retirement; and 3) is not receiving a monthly pension benefit from permanent total disability.
Authors of the measure are Reps. Antonio Tinio and France Castro (Party-list ACT Teachers), Rodel Batocabe (Party-list, AKO Bicol), Ma. Carmen Zamora (1st District, Compostela Valley), Mercedes Cagas (Lone District, Davao del Sur), Estrellita Suansing (1st District, Nueva Ecija), Strike Revilla (2nd District, Cavite), Nancy Catamco (2nd District, North Cotabato), Marlyn Primicias-Agabas (6th District, Pangasinan), Marisol Panotes (2nd District, Camarines Norte), Lorna Silverio (3rd District, Bulacan), and Carmelo Lazatin II (1st District, Pampanga), aside from others.
According to Tinio, “respect and humane consideration demand that a person of 55 years should not be required to perform the arduous functions expected of a public school teacher in the Philippines.”
“At such stage of their lives, public school teachers should at least be given the choice if they wish to rest from the profession and enjoy more good and healthy years ahead,” said Tinio.
Batocabe, for his part, said with the lower optional retirement age, the retirees can enjoy a better quality of life as they will receive their pension and retirement benefits at an earlier age.
“This bodes well for the families of our retirees as well, as our retirees will have more time to spend with their loved ones in relative comfort. Our retirees and their families will enjoy the fruits of decades’ worth of labor and will lessen the burden on the family’s spending,” said Batocabe. (SunStar Philippines)