Uniformed services and government agencies on Friday expressed support for Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson’s bills seeking to raise the compulsory retirement age of personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) from 56 to 57.
Lacson, who chaired the first hearing on the measures by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, also asked the agencies to study concerns raised about the bills, including their potential impact on the promotion of younger officers.
In Filipino: Mga Panukala ni Lacson na Itaas sa 57 ang Retirement Age ng PNP, BJMP, at BFP, Suportado ng mga Ahensya
“Merong class dito sa Philippine National Police Academy na tatamaan because magma-mark time. Pag na-postpone yung retirement ng high-ranking officers, merong magma-mark time dito, hindi mapo-promote ka agad (There are classes from the Philippine National Police Academy that would be affected because they would mark time. If the retirement of high-ranking officers is postponed, some would mark time and would not get promoted right away),” he said at the hearing.
The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) explained that extending the retirement age by one year for all personnel, including those with less than a year left in the service, would stall movement in the ranks. However, allowing those with less than a year left to retire at 56 would enable personnel below them to move up.
Lacson’s Senate Bill 2395, filed in August, raises the retirement age of PNP personnel, and gives those who have less than one year in the service upon the measure’s effectivity the option to retire at 56. Senate Bill 2396 similarly raises the retirement age of BJMP and BFP personnel.
Representatives of the PNP, BJMP, BFP and NAPOLCOM expressed full support for the measures at the hearing, while the Civil Service Commission said it is generally supportive.
They particularly backed the bills’ intention to give the leaderships of the concerned agencies more time to implement their intended institutional reforms and for the institution to maximize the years-worth of knowledge and skills of their personnel.
Also, the PNP noted that the measures would align its retirement framework with that of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which already has a compulsory retirement age of 57.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which deferred to Congress and said it is finalizing its position paper, projected P10.74 billion in initial savings in 2027 from deferred retirement and terminal leave benefits. This includes P7.34 billion for the PNP, P1.72 billion for the BJMP and P1.68 billion for the BFP.
These are against the additional pay and allowances of P1.18 billion for 1,210 PNP positions, P258 million for 546 BJMP positions and P386 million for 271 BFP positions.
However, Lacson pointed out that the savings for 2027 may be offset by later retirement costs, which the DBM said includes additional longevity pay, more accumulated leave credits, and higher retirement benefits computed at the prevailing pay scale.
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Mga Panukala ni Lacson na Itaas sa 57 ang Retirement Age ng PNP, BJMP, at BFP, Suportado ng mga Ahensya
Nakakuha ng suporta ng mga uniformed service at ahensya ng gobyerno ang mga panukalang batas ni Sen. Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson na itaas mula 56 hanggang 57 ang compulsory retirement age ng mga tauhan ng Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) at Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).
Hiniling din ni Lacson, na namuno sa unang pagdinig ng mga panukala sa Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, sa mga ahensya na pag-aralan ang mga pangambang ibinangon kaugnay ng mga panukala, kabilang ang posibleng epekto ng mga ito sa promosyon ng mga nakababatang opisyal.
“May class dito sa Philippine National Police Academy na tatamaan because magma-mark time. Pag na-postpone yung retirement ng high-ranking officers, merung magma-mark time dito, hindi mapo-promote ka agad,” aniya sa pagdinig.
Ipinaliwanag ng National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) na kung itataas ng isang taon ang retirement age ng lahat ng tauhan, kabilang ang mga wala pang isang taon bago magretiro, matitigil ang paggalaw sa mga ranggo. Gayunman, kung papayagang magretiro sa edad na 56 ang mga wala pang isang taon bago magretiro, mabibigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga nasa ibaba nila na umangat sa ranggo.
Itinataas ng Senate Bill 2395 ni Lacson, na inihain noong Agosto, ang retirement age ng mga tauhan ng PNP at binibigyan ng opsyong magretiro sa edad na 56 ang mga wala pang isang taon sa serbisyo sa oras na magkabisa ang panukala. Gayundin, itinataas ng Senate Bill 2396 ang retirement age ng mga tauhan ng BJMP at BFP.
Nagpahayag ng buong suporta sa mga panukala ang mga kinatawan ng PNP, BJMP, BFP at NAPOLCOM sa pagdinig, habang sinabi naman ng Civil Service Commission na pangkalahatan itong sumusuporta.
Partikular na sinuportahan ng mga ahensya ang layunin ng mga panukala na bigyan ng mas mahabang panahon ang kanilang mga pamunuan upang maipatupad ang mga planong reporma sa institusyon, at mapakinabangan ng mga institusyon ang kaalaman at kasanayang naipon ng kanilang mga tauhan sa loob ng maraming taon.
Binanggit din ng PNP na iaayon ng mga panukala ang retirement framework nito sa Armed Forces of the Philippines, na mayroon nang compulsory retirement age na 57.
Ang Department of Budget and Management (DBM), na nagpaubaya sa Kongreso at nagsabing tinatapos pa nito ang position paper, ay nag-proyekto ng P10.74 bilyong paunang matitipid sa 2027 mula sa ipinagpalibang retirement at terminal leave benefits. Kabilang dito ang P7.34 bilyon para sa PNP, P1.72 bilyon para sa BJMP at P1.68 bilyon para sa BFP.
Katapat naman nito ang karagdagang pay at allowances na P1.18 bilyon para sa 1,210 posisyon sa PNP, P258 milyon para sa 546 posisyon sa BJMP at P386 milyon para sa 271 posisyon sa BFP.
Gayunman, sinabi ni Lacson na maaaring mabawi ang matitipid sa 2027 dahil sa mas mataas na gastos sa pagreretiro sa mga susunod na taon. Ayon sa DBM, kabilang dito ang karagdagang longevity pay, mas maraming naipong leave credits at mas mataas na retirement benefits na kakalkulahin batay sa umiiral na pay scale.
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