10 senators back retirement pay for b’gay execs, workers

MANILA, Philippines - Ten senators have expressed their support to the measure being pushed by Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. proposing to grant retirement pay to barangay officials and workers.

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, and Senators Nancy Binay, Pia Cayetano, Joseph Victor Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Manuel Lapid, Aquilino Pimentel III, Ramon Revilla, Jr., Cynthia Villar, and Juan Edgardo Angara joined Marcos as co-authors of Senate Bill 12.

Prior to the recess of the 16th Congress, Marcos, who chairs the Senate local government committee, sponsored in plenary Committee Report No. 31 proposing a retirement pay of P100,000 for each barangay chairman, P80,000 for each member of the barangay council, and P50,000 each for the barangay treasurer and secretary, barangay tanods (watchmen), members of the Lupon ng Tagapamayapa, and barangay health and day care workers.

Barangay officials and workers who have reached the retirement age of 60 and have served at least nine years are entitled to the benefit.

Also qualified are barangay officials or workers who die or become permanently incapacitated while in the performance of their duties, irrespective of age and the numbers of years in service.

“More often than not, these officials and workers are breadwinners of their respective families. Rightfully, their time should have been entirely devoted to income-generating activities,” Marcos said.

“However, driven by their ardent desire to serve their country and countrymen, they continue to spend time responding to the demands of public service,” Marcos added.

If enacted into law, 95,616 barangay officials and workers can immediately avail themselves of the retirement benefit since they are qualified for this as of June 7, 2013, according to the National Barangay Operations Office of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The government would need some P5.2 billion to pay for their retirement pay.

As funding source, the bill provides that a Barangay Retirement Fund be created through an annual investment equivalent to one percent of the share of the national government from the internal revenue allotment. The DILG shall administer the fund.