PNP to benefit most from MUP pension reform
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) stands to gain the most from the proposed Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) pension reform.
This is according to House Ways and Means chairman Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda, who is the principal author of the MUP bill which the House has already approved on 3rd reading and is currently pending discussions in the Senate.
“Those who are totally permanently disabled and the survivors of those who are killed in action will now be entitled to the same retirement and survivorship benefits that other MUP are entitled to,” Salceda said.
“This benefit is long overdue, and recognizes that policing remains a high-risk occupation even when the PNP has moved to civilian control and supervision. The families of those who lose their lives in the preservation of peace and order can at least expect a pension from a grateful nation,” Salceda added.
The veteran added that he is open to making the retirement benefit “retroactive” since the PNP is still a young force.
“I know the risks involved in policing at a very personal level. One of two police officers shot dead last July while on patrol in Oas was my personal security officer, Police Chief Master Sgt. Joseph Ostonal. The other was Police Corporal Jeffrey Refereza. Hopefully, we could come up with some way to make at least the eligibility for at least some of these benefits retroactive. With instructions from PNP Chief Acorda, Brigadier General Niño David Rabaya is working with us on these issues,” Salceda said.
The PNP also stands to gain the most from the proposed 3 percent guaranteed annual salary hike for ten years under the proposed measure, he said.
“Being the largest uniformed service, the PNP also stands to gain the most from a sustainable pension system. Apart from fully retaining the structure of the existing pension system for active and retired personnel, the MUP Pension Reform Act also guarantees a 3 percent annual increase in salary over the next ten years. We estimate that as much as 47.6 percent of the total benefits from the salary increase will accrue to members of the PNP.”
Salceda cited that the Committee maintained “an open mind” about MUP benefits despite the initial position of economic managers towards a fully funded pension system.
Among all the uniformed services of the country, it is the Philippine National Police which has undergone the most transformation – in parallel with the country’s own evolution as a nation-state.
“It is for these reasons that we considered the key role of a strong and high-morale police force in the crafting the Military and Uniformed Personnel or MUP Pension Reform Act. The MUP Pension Reform Act was an assignment given to me by President Marcos and the House leadership, headed by Speaker Romualdez. We successfully defended a reform that was acceptable to all major stakeholders,” he said.
