Bato: Make US pay rent for EDCA sites

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has reiterated his concern on the possible mass exodus of the military and uniformed personnel amid plans to reform the MUP pension system, suggesting the United States could pay rent for using Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites to help fund the pension, which economic managers earlier warned could cause the country’s financial collapse.

“Why not ask the United States to pay for rent for sites used for the Enhanced Defense Coordinating Agreement to fund the ballooning pension funds for the military and uniformed personnel?” Dela Rosa said.

The senator was asked whether the US can be asked to just pay for using Philippine facilities under the EDCA as a possible source for MUP pensions, and he answered in the affirmative.

In an interview with dzBB radio, he noted that the provision in the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) could be amended so that the US could pay for the use of the facilities as rent.

“Let’s amend the provisions of the VFA; we can tell (the US) to pay the rent for the use our facilities,” he said.

“When Americans come here, they don’t ask for a visa, but Filipinos suffer when they apply for visas. Where is the principle of reciprocity in the international relation? There is no reciprocity at all,” he added.

A former chief of the Philippine National Police, Dela Rosa reiterated his concerns if plans to reform their pension system push through, which could result in a weak national defense and a weak law enforcement community.

While Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno had already raised his concern about the possible fiscal collapse if no pension reform would be made, but implementing such a policy without wide and intensive consultation could also have the same results, according to the senator.

“If Sec. Diokno was saying that there (would) be a fiscal collapse (if there will be no reform in the MUP pension system) if we insist on this, there will be more of a fiscal collapse,” Dela Rosa warned.

“Will the government have a plan if the law says that Malacañang will implement and sign it, but before it is signed, those who will be affected will file for retirement? The government will have to pay trillion pesos when all those to be affected will retire,” he added.

“Maybe, what I can see is that there should be extensive consultation to tackle how big or small is the contribution. The consultation will also reduce their doubts, that the deduction will just be a small amount and needs a little patience so as not to have a fiscal collapse,” he said.

Dela Rosa added that the previous Congress pushed for the MUP pension system for new entrants into the service. He noted, however, that economic managers have said the effect of such scheme would not really address the fiscal concern as it would be felt after 30 years.

“We are concerned with the possible mass exodus (of uniformed personnel). They would rather leave the service before the new pension system (could take effect) because they don’t want to be affected,” he said.

The senator admitted that if reforms would really push through, the MUP would not be able to do anything to oppose it as they would just leave the service.

“The big concern is the national security. The seasoned and well-trained won’t just disappear because they will leave the service, and they will be replaced by others who are not experts on the matter,” he added.

For Dela Rosa, the question is if anyone would be encouraged to join the forces, knowing that many uniformed personnel had already left.

“What will happen to our defense, what will happen to our peace and order?” he said.

He added that there was a proposal to just deduct six percent from the salary, but if the personnel is receiving only P5,000 because of loans and other deductions, the amount is significant.