House OKs bill lowering optional retirement age of gov’t workers to 56

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has unanimously approved on third and final reading a bill lowering the optional retirement age of government workers from 65 years old to 56.

Some 192 congressmen gave their nod to House Bill No. 5509 during Monday’s plenary session. The chamber had already approved the measure during the previous 17th Congress.

“With a lower optional retirement age, the retirees can enjoy a better quality of life thorough their pension and retirement benefits at an earlier age…” said one of the bill’s authors, Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., in his explanatory note.

“The lower retirement age ultimately helps the bureaucracy, as it hastens the turnover of government positions to younger professionals, making way for infusion of fresh blood in public service,” he added.

The measure, once signed into law, will amend Section 13-A of Republic Act No. 8291 or the Government Service Insurance Act of 1977.

This will also apply prospectively to a qualified member who has retired or had been separated from the service prior to the effectivity of the measure.

Similar proposals have remained pending at the committee level in the Senate. These measures will have to be harmonized and ratified by both chambers before it could be sent to President Rodrigo Duterte for his consideration.

Edited by KGA