PNP retirees happy over inclusion in salary standardization

CEBU, Philippines - Members of the Philippine National Police Retirees Association, Inc. claimed victory and have rejoiced over the Senate’s decision to delete the provision of Senate Bill No. 2671 suspending the indexation of their pension adjustment.

PRAI earlier denounced the passing of the proposed Salary Standardization Law of 2015 in the House of Representatives which excluded them from the benefits.

“Let us give our thanks to the Lord Almighty for albeit, in the nick of time, He made wonders to make our Christmas merry and our New Year happy,” said PRAI-7 president retired Colonel Walberto Mandin.

 Mandin said it was a lesson learned for them to push for a representative of the retirees in Congress.

Mandin said a bill, though approved already on third and final reading, can still be appealed with a motion for reconsideration by a legislator and when supported by another, can be remanded back to the floor, back to where it was before the second reading.

The strategy was executed by Senator Juan Ponce Enrile and former senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson with Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto’s push to delete Section 11 of the bill.

“Sir Ping was a great help, Bro Tito executed very well when he moved for reconsideration and Apo JPE delivered the coup de grace with great elan that the opposition could not do anything but to submit,” Mandin said.

As a result, Mandin added, the SB 2671 filed by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV is now approved on second reading, ready for the third and final reading, with the provision suspending the indexation of their pension adjustment already deleted.

  Page 16 items 4-8 of Section 11 of the bill states that, “Notwithstanding the provisions of P.D. No. 1638 and RA 8551, and considering the pendency of the passage of a pension reform law establishing a sustainable and just pension system for military and uniformed personnel, the indexation of pension benefits of retired military and uniformed personnel with the base pay for those in the active service shall be suspended insofar as the base pay increase authorized in this Act.”  

Presidential Decree 1638 and Republic Act 8551 guarantee the automatic indexation of pension adjustments.

“Thanks to JPE, Senator Tito, ex-chief PNP Ping who’s running again as senator, you know already what to do!” Mandin added addressing to his fellow retirees.

 Mandin earlier said the bill was pushed by Liberal Party lawmakers to please President Benigno Aquino III and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad who wanted to stop the increase in the pension of retired uniformed men. — (FREEMAN)