Duterte vetoes survivorship benefits bill

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has vetoed a bill that would have extended survivorship benefits to the dependent children or parents of deceased retired officials of constitutional offices, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Saturday.

“He vetoed it. He said it would have disrupted the salary standardization and the other pension programs of the government,” Sotto said over dwIZ.

The bill would have expanded the coverage of survivorship benefits to children and parents of the officials.

At present, only legitimate spouses enjoy the retirement benefits of the deceased officials of the Commission on Audit, Civil Service Commission, Commission on Elections and the Ombudsman.