Uniformed services and government agencies expressed support for Senator Ping Lacson’s bills seeking to raise the compulsory retirement age of personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) from 56 to 57.
Lacson, who chaired the first hearing on the measures by the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, also asked the agencies to study concerns raised about the bills, including their potential impact on the promotion of younger officers.
“Merong class dito sa Philippine National Police Academy na tatamaan because magma-mark time. Pag na-postpone yung retirement ng high-ranking officers, merong magma-mark time dito, hindi mapo-promote ka agad,” the veteran legislator said at the hearing.
“Allowing those with less than a year left to retire at 56 would enable personnel below them to move up.”
The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) explained that extending the retirement age by one year for all personnel, including those with less than a year left in the service, would stall movement in the ranks. However, allowing those with less than a year left to retire at 56 would enable personnel below them to move up.
The seasoned lawmaker’s Senate Bill 2395, filed in August, raises the retirement age of PNP personnel, and gives those who have less than one year in the service upon the measure’s effectivity the option to retire at 56. Senate Bill 2396 similarly raises the retirement age of BJMP and BFP personnel.
Representatives of the PNP, BJMP, BFP and NAPOLCOM expressed full support for the measures at the hearing, while the Civil Service Commission said it is generally supportive.
They particularly backed the bills’ intention to give the leaderships of the concerned agencies more time to implement their intended institutional reforms and for the institution to maximize the years-worth of knowledge and skills of their personnel.
“The measures would align its retirement framework with that of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which already has a compulsory retirement age of 57.”
Also, the PNP noted that the measures would align its retirement framework with that of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, which already has a compulsory retirement age of 57.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM), which deferred to Congress and said it is finalizing its position paper, projected P10.74 billion in initial savings in 2027 from deferred retirement and terminal leave benefits. This includes P7.34 billion for the PNP, P1.72 billion for the BJMP and P1.68 billion for the BFP.
These are against the additional pay and allowances of P1.18 billion for 1,210 PNP positions, P258 million for 546 BJMP positions and P386 million for 271 BFP positions.
However, Lacson pointed out that the savings for 2027 may be offset by later retirement costs, which the DBM said includes additional longevity pay, more accumulated leave credits, and higher retirement benefits computed at the prevailing pay scale.
