Solon asks GSIS help, Senate nod on retirement age at 56

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro on Thursday called on the Senate and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) support the passage of the bill lowering the optional retirement age of government workers from 60 to 56 years old.

Instead of opposing the measure, Castro said the GSIS should back it as allowing state employees to retire early will give them the chance to enjoy their retirement benefits longer.

The ACT party-list lawmaker said the bill has been filed at the House of Representatives as early as the 17th Congress , but has not been passed into law.

“Kaya nananawagan ako sa aking mga kasamahan sa Senado na tignan ang kahalagahan nitong LORA (Lowering of Optional Retirement Age) sa government employees kasi sa panahon ngayon, marami ring young ones ang gusto makapasok sa gobyerno. Bigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon na makapagsilbi,” Castro said.

(That is why I am calling on my colleagues to see the importance of this measure because a lot of the young ones are also raring to join government service. Let us give them a chance to serve.)

GMA News Online has reached out to GSIS for comment and will publish its reply as soon as it becomes available.

Castro said an employee who joined the government service at 21 years old could already retire at 56 years old since the maximum number of government service to be insured by the GSIS is only 35 years.

She said that at the present optional retirement age of 60, most of the teachers who retire are already afflicted with various ailments and unable to enjoy their retirement years. 

“This [bill] is close to the heart of the teachers because as a teacher, I have observed that by the time teachers retire at 62, 63, 65 years old, some pass away shortly after because of illnesses," she said.

"Besides, teachers now have so much workload. Aside from their teaching load, they are also burdened with so much paperwork. That is why teachers are asking if they may be allowed to be happy, enjoy their retirement pension and live a long life after their retirement, just like the police and the soldiers. That is why we later included all government employees because why must we limit it to the teachers when they would also want such an option?" Castro added.

The House of Representatives already approved the said measure on third and final reading last January 31.

In response to Castro’s call, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said that similar measures are pending in the Senate and that they will coordinate with the committee in charge to get the legislative mill for the said measure moving.

“We filed a similar measure this Congress. Senate Bill No. 935, which aims to lower the optional retirement age of government employees from 60 to 55 years old, is even lower than the House version of 56 years old. Other senators, like Senator Sonny Angara, also filed a similar measure,” Villanueva told GMA News Online in a text message.

“Our advocacy has always been to look out for the welfare of our workers, whether public or private sector employees. In any case, we believe that there must be a balance between ensuring that our pension funds are enough, but at the same time, the reality is that some workers wish to retire at an earlier age.  We will coordinate with the good chairman of the committee on civil service on the status of the measure so that this will be discussed in the committee,” he added.

The chairperson of the Senate civil service, government reorganization and professional regulation panel is Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr.—LDF, GMA Integrated News