Trillanes appeals to President Aquino to include AFP-PNP retirees in SSL4

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 4): Trillanes appeals to President Aquino to include AFP-PNP retirees in SSL4

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV appealed to President Benigno S. Aquino III on Monday to include the retired members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and other uniformed services in the proposed Salary Standardization Law 4.

Trillanes, principal author and sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2671 or the proposed SSL4, said that under his original bill sponsored in the Senate, the pension levels of the retirees will also increase along with the increase in the salaries of other government workers, consistent with Presidential Decree No. 1638 and Republic Act No. 8551.

However, under the proposed Malacañang version, this provision, known as the indexation of military pension, was suspended due to severe budgetary constraints according to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

The Congress failed to approve the SSL4 before its session adjourned last December because the Senate version included the pensioners in the planned salary adjustment while the House of Representatives decided to adopt the Malacañang version excluding them.

Trillanes is expecting that Malacañang will oppose the inclusion of the indexation provision in the SSL4, which could delay the law’s implementation and would affect other government employees, the reason for Trillanes’ appeal to the President.

"We believe that the retirees of the AFP, PNP, and other uniformed services have earned it. They have risked their lives just to keep us safe, and to let us enjoy the fruits and blessings of democracy. So we believe that they deserve this indexation,” Trillanes explained.

Under the PhP3.002-trillion national budget for 2016, PhP57.9 billion was included for the implementation of the first tranche of the SSL4. An additional PhP9 billion would be needed for the indexation of military and police retirees in the first year of the implementation.

Trillanes added, “These military and police retirees are now in the twilight of their lives. The government should show a little compassion, if not gratitude owing to the sacrifices they and their families have given over the years. I hope that Malacañang could see this issue in this light because the lives and welfare of our retirees are beyond any alleged budgetary constraint."

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