CEBU, Philippines — The Philippine Councilors League is pushing for voluntary contributions of elected officials who have served less than 15 years to the Government Service Insurance System to become eligible for retirement benefits.
PCL national chairman, Atty. Raul Corro, announced during the PCL-Cebu Provincial Federation midyear general assembly on Friday that the PCL national executive board already approved a resolution endorsing to Congress to amend GSIS Law.
Corro is appealing to all local legislative bodies to also pass a similar resolution to propel their advocacy.
He expressed confidence that this will be granted soon saying that the Civil Service Commission is supporting the move.
There is also a pending House Bill which provides for an option for qualified elected officials to pay voluntary contribution to the GSIS to enable them to complete the minimum years of contribution.
Corro said that HB No. 7334 authored by Bukidnon Representative Jose Manuel Alba is even better than the PCL resolution.
The proposed bill provides that elected officials who have completed at least one term (three years) shall have the option to continue their membership in the GSIS and pay voluntary contribution to the GSIS and enable them to complete the minimum 15 years of contribution requirement to enable them to avail the retirement benefits.
The GSIS is a social insurance program for government employees in the Philippines, including elected officials.
Under the law, elected officials who are members of the GSIS are required to complete a minimum of 15 years of service to be entitled to retirement benefits.
“However, some elected officials may not have completed the required minimum years of service due to various reasons such as failure to be elected again for public office or inability to be employed in any government position,” explained Alba.
Alba’s bill is still pending with the House Committee on Government Enterprises and Privatization.
Corro also announced that the PCL national executive board also endorsed to Congress the lowering of the optional retirement age for government workers from 60 to 56 years old and the monthly pension shall be based on the last highest salary received before retirement and not on three-year average monthly salary.
Corro, a councilor of Muntinlupa City, was the keynote speaker during the PCL-Cebu Provincial Federation midyear general assembly led by Toledo City Councilor Ricardo “Kuya Nick” Pepito.
Other speakers were Atty. Ian Kenneth Lucero, the provincial director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)-Cebu, who spoke about their programs in partnership with the PCL-Cebu as well as the legal basis of the creation of the Local Lady Legislators League (4L).
Atty. Pulchra Marie Acevedo, Cebu Sangguniang Panlalawigan Secretary, also talked about important provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991 on the duties and functions of the local legislative bodies such as the processes in approving resolutions and ordinances, the conduct of sessions, and other related matters.
Commission on Elections-7 Regional Election Attorney Ferdinand Gujilde also updated the city and town councilors on the calendar of activities in connection with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on October 30, 2023.
Pepito welcomed the over 400 participants of the PCL midyear general assembly. (FREEMAN)