Gov't economic team, House leaders reach consensus on MUP reforms

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 2, 2023): Gov't economic team, House leaders reach consensus on MUP reforms (By Filane Mikee Cervantes)

TO SERVE AND PROTECT. At least 80 rookie police officers take their oath during the 1st Cycle Attrition Recruitment Program at the Police Regional Office-Soccsksargen headquarters in General Santos City on Nov. 14, 2022. Speaker Martin Romualdez announced on Wednesday (Aug. 2, 2023) the government's economic team and senior leaders of the House have reached an agreement on how to fund the proposed reforms in military and uniformed personnel’s pension. (Photo courtesy of PRO-12)

MANILA – The government's economic team and senior leaders of the House of Representatives have reached an agreement on how to fund the proposed reforms in military and uniformed personnel’s (MUP) pension, Speaker Martin Romualdez announced on Wednesday.

Romualdez said the consensus was reached after a three-hour closed-door meeting upon the instruction of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to thresh out disagreements over the MUP pension reforms.

“We all agreed on a solution that we believe will be beneficial to all stakeholders in the MUP pension program,” Romualdez said.

He assured soldiers and uniformed personnel that their pension plan will be fully funded not only in 2023 or 2024 but in the years to come.

“Ang sinigurado namin, mababayaran ang lahat ng pension ng ating mga sundalo at uniformed personnel. Lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno at kami dito sa Kongreso ay magtutulungan para masigurado ito (We assure you that the pension of our soldiers and uniformed personnel will be paid completely. We, in Congress, and all government agencies will collaborate to ensure this),” he said.

“Kung maiaayos natin ang MUP pension program, masisiguro rin natin na magkakaroon ng dagdag na sweldo ang ating mga sundalo at uniformed personnel taun-taon (If we could fix the MUP pension program, we will ensure that the salaries of our soldiers and uniformed personnel will increase yearly),” he added.

Romualdez said he instructed the formation of an ad hoc committee in the House of Representatives to thresh out other details of the reforms agreed upon by executive officials and House leaders.

He said the ad hoc committee will be chaired by Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, who offered the win-win formula on the pension fund issue during the closed-door meeting.

Romualdez said the panel will invite stakeholders in the MUP pension to join its public hearings and consultation to ensure that their concerns are heard and acted upon.

“Lilinawin sa mga public hearings ang lahat ng isyu tungkol sa MUP. Didinggin natin ang lahat ng boses. Sisiguruhin natin na sa bagong MUP pension program, tuloy-tuloy ang benepisyo ng mga pensyonado at tutulungan sila ng gobyerno sa pag-iipon ng pera (All the issues regarding MUP shall be clarified during the public hearings. We will hear all voices. We will make sure that in the new MUP pension program, the benefits of the pensioners would be continuous and the government will help them save up money),” he said.

Meanwhile, Salceda said the win-win solution would guarantee "sure salary increase, sure indexation of pensions, and sure funding for the pension system".

"President Marcos has already helped address the problem by being very responsible about any salary increase for the MUP, before a viable pension system is in place. And with this reform, his government will solve the pension problem for decades to come," Salceda said.

He said the proposed solution also enables a salary increase for the MUP since its fiscal consequences on the pension system can be controlled.

During his second State of the Nation Address (SONA), Marcos said his administration is “inclusive in our pursuit of social protection.”

“The pension of the military and the uniformed personnel is as important, as urgent, and as humanitarian as that of all other civilian Filipino employees. Efforts are underway to make it fully functional and financially sustainable,” he said.

The government seeks to reform the MUP pension system to address its sustainability and ensure the provision of fair retirement benefits to MUPs while easing the pressure on the government budget over time.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1207022