Querubin bats for higher pensions of retired soldiers

Independent senatorial aspirant Ariel Querubin vowed to push for higher pensions for Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) retirees to help them keep up with inflation.

According to a statement on Friday, Querubin believed retirees deserved to receive all the support they would need, and pensions must always be at par with inflation.

“Pension should always be competitive sa inflation rate. Kapag tumaas ang bilihin, yung pension mo kapiranggot pa rin, hirap ka rin talaga [kung] paano mo ibudget yan pambili ng gamot,” said Querubin during a gathering with AFP retirees and their dependents on Friday.

(Pension should always be competitive with the inflation rate. When the prices of necessities rise, and your pensions remain small, you will have trouble budgeting for your medicine.)

“Yung mga retired, pensioners, nanilbihan na yan. Nagsakripisyo para sa ating bayan,” he added.

(Retirees and pensioners have served us. They have sacrificed for the country.)

Querubin said the main obstacle encountered when trying to increase pensions and other social benefits was corruption.

“Kung mawala ang corruption, marami tayong pwedeng magawa talaga,” Querubin stated.

(If we eradicate corruption, we can do so much.)

“Yung pagtaas lang ng sweldo, ang reason naman na di nila magawa yan, sasabihin nila walang budget. Pero makita mo ang budget nila. Ang daming nasasayang,” he added.

(They say that the reason why they couldn’t increase the salary is because there’s no budget. But if you see their budget, much is wasted.) –Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/NB, GMA Integrated News

For more Eleksyon 2025 related content and updates, visit GMA News Online's Eleksyon 2025 microsite.