Palace: Marcos still awaiting recommendations on MUP pension reform

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has yet to receive recommendations on the proposed reform of the military and uniformed personnel (MUP) pension system, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the inter-agency technical working group tasked to study the pension system under Executive Order No. 107, series of 2025, is still conducting its review.

According to Castro, the group includes representatives from the Department of Budget and Management, Department of Finance, Bureau of the Treasury and other concerned agencies.

The group is tasked to conduct a comprehensive review of the MUP pension system and recommend reforms that would make it balanced, reasonable and fiscally sustainable.

Castro said the government still needs to complete its review and obtain the necessary documents before coming up with a recommendation.

She acknowledged that the process has gone beyond the 180-day period provided under EO 107, but said the Palace is still determining what caused the delay.

“To date, it is still being studied,” Castro said in Filipino.

No new position from Marcos yet

Asked why the review had exceeded the 180-day period and whether there was already a target date for submitting the recommendations, Castro said the Palace would need to check with the DBM regarding the status of the documents and the review.

She clarified that Marcos has not adopted a new position on the MUP pension reform.

“Sa ngayon po wala pa pong bagong position si President Marcos regarding doon sa MUP reform po. Wala pa po kasing naibibigay sa kanyang rekomendasyon,” Castro said.

(There is no new position from President Marcos regarding the MUP reform since there has been no recommendations yet.)

She added that the reform remains among the matters the President wants addressed but emphasized the need for a thorough study. — Sherylin Untalan/RSJ, GMA News