Senate Bill No. 2863 was signed into law as Republic Act No. 12181, or An Act Adjusting the Monthly Benefits of the Retirees of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) recently.
In sponsoring the bill, Senator Mark Villar raised the prevailing problems of retired DFA officers and employees.
“Imagine an ambassador who has spent decades representing our country, safeguarding our national interests abroad, and being the face of the Philippines in foreign lands. Now, picture this same individual after a lifetime of service, struggling to make ends meet for their daily and medical needs,” Villar said.
The law aims to provide a monthly pension differential and gratuity benefit for DFA employees receiving a monthly pension from the GSIS. With the steady increase in the prices of goods and services in our country, Villar underlines the importance of RA 12181, especially for those who retired years ago, in order for their pensions to be at par with the benefits received by recently retired personnel.
The newly passed law allows qualified retirees to receive a monthly pension differential, which is the difference between the adjusted monthly pension computed by the DFA and the actual monthly pension provided by the GSIS to the DFA retiree, to be multiplied by an adjustment factor determined by the DFA.
“Funding will come from the fees charged for consular services collected.”
The legislator assures that the adjusted monthly benefits will not strain the national budget: “Funding will come from the fees charged for consular services collected under Executive Order No. 906, series of 2010, and not from the General Appropriations Fund.”
The newly passed law also helps alleviate the burdens of bereaved families of deceased retirees by allowing the surviving unmarried legal spouse and the qualified dependent children to receive 50% of the pension differential that the deceased retiree was receiving or is entitled to receive.
“This provision aims to provide financial support to the family members of deceased retirees, ensuring that they are also taken care of after the retiree’s passing,” the lawmaker highlighted.
Villar, the bill’s principal sponsor, expressed the immense help and recognition that the newly passed law will offer to the retirees.
“It is a statement that we stand with them as they stood for us in the international arena.”
“We are not just approving an increase in retirement benefits, we are sending a powerful message that their service, sacrifice, and dedication to our country are valued and remembered. It is a statement that we stand with them as they stood for us in the international arena,” the senator emphasized.
He recognizes that through RA 12181, DFA retirees, with their sacrifices and efforts, will now receive their rightful and deserved benefits and recognition. This law stands as proof that Filipino civil servants must be recognized for their dedication and endeavors to help the nation.
