PNP personnel understand pension contribution adjustment –Acorda

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Monday said police officers understood the proposed adjustment on their pension contributions.

“The initial feedback is naiintindihan naman ng ating mga kapulisan (police officers understand the reason for the adjustment),” Acorda said in a press conference.

Acorda said he visited some police regional offices and asked for opinions on the proposed adjustments in the pension system for military and uniformed personnel (MUP).

The views gathered would be considered in the recommendation that the PNP would forward to lawmakers.

Acorda said that he explained to the PNP personnel that they would benefit from the adjustment.

“There are things that need to be explained. Kapag sinabing contribution parang negative kaagad yan. There are some things na dapat ibigay namin pero meron din in return makukuha namin,” he said.

(When we say contribution, it has a negative connotation. There are things that we need to give but we will gain something from it in return.)

“Parang magkakaroon lang kasi ng seed money, something that we have to give. Pero kapag tinignan mo yung long term, mas makikinabang din yung police personnel. So those are the things na pinapaliwanag natin,” he added.

(It would only be like seed money that we have to give. But in the long term, you will see that the PNP personnel would benefit more. So those are the things we were explaining to them.)

In May, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. pushed for “self-regenerating” pension plans for both the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP to avoid a possible depletion of funds.

The economic team warned of the consequences of the pension payments, with the total yearly payouts expected to hit the P1-trillion mark by 2035 from P213 billion in 2023.

Under its proposal, the Department of Finance called for MUP in active service to contribute 5% of their monthly pay, and new entrants to contribute 9% of their basic salary and longevity pay. — DVM, GMA Integrated News