Go: Proposed military pension reform should apply to new entrants only
Published Apr 2, 2023 04:24 am
Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has urged Malacañang to thoroughly study the proposed reforms in the military pension saying it should only apply to new entrants or those who will join the military in the future.
Go made the appeal as the Marcos government’s finance managers expressed their intent to reform the military’s pension to avoid a financial disaster in the future.
The senator said he is against the removal of automatic indexation in their pension and the proposal of imposing mandatory contributions to military personnel.
“As a senator, and vice-chairman of the Defense Committee in the Senate, rest assured that any measure that I will push or support related to the military and uniformed personnel will always be for their betterment,” Go said in a statement.
“Kahit isang boto lang po ako palagi kong ipaglalaban kung ano ang tama at makakabuti po sa military at sa ating mga uniformed personnel. Naintindihan ko po ang concern ng ating mga finance manager, pero ‘wag po natin itong gawin at the expense of the military (Even if I only have one vote, I will always fight for what is right and will benefit the military and our uniformed personnel. I understand the concern of our finance managers, but let's not do this at the expense of the military," he further stressed.
Earlier, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pushed for a reevaluation of the pension system for the military and uniformed personnel to avert a potential "fiscal collapse" and enable the government to save around P130-billion yearly.
If by any chance, the government plans to push through with the reforms in the military's pension to avoid the impending financial disaster in the long run, Go said it should only be for the new entrants or those who will enter the military “so they would know from the beginning what are the rules they will follow.”
"Hindi po ako sang-ayon dito sa mandatory contribution, parang bigay-bawi po ito (I don't agree with the mandatory contribution, it's like giving and then forcing it to be returned),” he pointed out.
Go pointed out that during former president Rodrigo Duterte's term, they doubled the salary of the military and did not want the existing pension to be affected.
“Parang pinasarapan sila noong 2018, na-doble po ang kanilang sahod, tinaasan po ang kanilang sweldo, tapos naman ngayon, ipag-contribute sila. Hindi po ako sang-ayon diyan (It's like they were given a treat in 2018, their wages were doubled, their salaries were increased, and now, they will be made to contribute. I don't agree with that),” he pointed out.
“Kaya dapat po'y huwag na natin silang paobligahin pa doon sa mandatory contribution. Dapat po exempted sila doon (That's why we should not obligate them to the mandatory contribution anymore. They should be exempted from that),” Go added.
The senator cited that in other countries, like the British, their military personnel are no longer obliged to give a mandatory contribution because of their work and sacrifice for their countrymen.
“We should not change rules o pagbabago po ng batas sa kalagitnaan… huwag natin baguhin ang nakasanayan na sa kalagitnaan (We should not change the rules or the law while they are in the middle. Let's not change the usual benefits while it is ongoing),” he pointed out.
“Alam n’yo karamihan po sa ating mga military, expecting na sila sa kanilang matatanggap. Once they retire, ‘yung iba po ay naka-loan, ‘yung iba ay nakautang na at mayroong nakalaan na, nakaplano na ito sa kanilang mga anak, sa kanilang mga pamilya. Nakaprograma na po ang kanilang mga pera (You know most of our military, they are expecting what they will receive. Once they retire, others have loans, others are already in debt and there are already provisions, it is already planned for their children, their families. Their money is already programmed),” he explained.
Go also recalled that he himself suggested and helped Duterte in doubling the salary of military and other uniformed personnel at the beginning of Duterte's term. He was also appointed to ask lawmakers, even before he became a senator, to pursue this promise of the former president during the start of the administration.
"Noong inilapit sa akin ng mga sergeant majors nung 2019 na may proposal na babaan ang pension ng retirees, agad ko itong inilapit kay FPRRD at pareho namin itong tinutulan (When the sergeant majors approached me in 2019 with a proposal to lower the retirees' pension, I immediately approached FPRRD and we both opposed it),” he also recalled.
Go said he also strongly opposes the removal of automatic indexation in their pension. In the case of the pension fund of the Philippine military, automatic indexation refers to the regular adjustment of the pension benefits of retired military personnel along with the salary increases of active Military and Uniformed Services Personnel.
Kunswelo na po iyan sa sakripisyo na ginawa nila sa ating bayan. Iba po ang trabaho ng mga military, sila po ang lumalaban para sa atin, sila po ang nagbubuwis ng buhay at nagsasakripisyo. Hindi lang po sa giyera, kahit po sa panahon ng pandemya sila po ang inaasahan nating tumulong (That's a consolation for the sacrifice they made in our country. The work of the military is different, they are the ones who fight for us, they are the ones who give their lives and make sacrifices. Not only during the war, even during the pandemic, they are the ones we expect to help),” he pointed out.
Go pointed out the military's job is different from any other profession as they put their lives on the line for the country.
“Let me repeat, hindi po ako sang-ayon sa pagtatanggal ng automatic indexation in their pension sa sahod ng active service. Panahon pa ni dating Pangulong Duterte mayro’n nang indexation. Ako ang unang tututol na mabawasan at maapektuhan ang mga benepisyo ng sundalo at retirees (I do not agree with the removal of the automatic indexation in their pension on the wages of active service. Even during the time of former President Duterte, there was indexation. I will be the first to object to reducing and affecting the benefits of soldiers and retirees," he further said.