Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Malacañang photo)


Davao del Norte 1st district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez expressed disappointment over the Department of Finance's (DOF) supposed plan to terminate the indexation of military and uniformed personnel (MUPs) in the face of rising pension costs. Alvarez is a former House Speaker during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte. It was during this time that Congress passed a Joint Resolution increasing the salaries of MUPs. The move was endorsed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). This salary increase had a rolling effect on their pension rate.
“It’s illegal, immoral, and cowardly for the government to alter the terms of the agreement after they gave their service to, and bled for, the country. Parang na-estafa sila niyan pag gawin yan ng gobyerno. Mali talaga (If the government does that to them then it's like they got scammed. This is wrong)," Alvarez said. The Mindanaoan challenged the government to prioritize the welfare of the MUPs amid the rising cost of their pensions. He said the government should not turn its back on the soldiers who have dedicated their best years in protecting the nation's freedom and institutions. Asked about how to balance the need to maintain the sustainability of the pension system while preventing a fiscal crisis, the outspoken Alvarez didn't mince his words in his reply. "The DOF should find a solution that honors our sacred contract with our soldiers. How about getting rid of parasites in the government who don't even know how to say a simple thank you to our servicemen and women?" The ex-Speaker also proposed that, in a worst-case scenario, the existing batches of MUPs in the retired and active service should remain under the present system. There must be no changes to the pension of those with whom the government already had an agreement with, Alvarez said.