August 15th, 2023
Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda
15 August 2023
We are pleased to report to the President and to the public that, today, we have formalized a solution to the MUP Pension problem. The members of the Ad Hoc Committee on the MUP Pension System have agreed in principle on an MUP Pension Reform that is amenable to both the military and uniformed services and to the economic managers.
This is a win-win solution, because we are removing the risks of sudden spikes in pension liabilities while also ensuring that salaries and pensions increase at manageable levels.
For the past 25 years, the salaries have only increased for nine years, so this is also a win for the active personnel, who will get a salary increase every year for the next ten years.
We are also ensuring that all the MUP services will get a separation benefit if they leave the service below 20 years in service. That is a new benefit to the PNP.
The economic managers went through dozens of consultations, and we have also ensured that we hear the statements and comments of the various services. We also sought the acceptance of the various services before moving to approve the measure.
Let me reiterate the Three Guarantees of this reform: Guaranteed salary increase. Guaranteed pension indexation. Guaranteed funding sources for the pension.
This is on top of the President’s commitment to resolve all arrears to pensioners.
The House is committed to approving its version on third reading as soon as possible. I thank the House leadership, helmed by Speaker Martin Romualdez, for his trust and for his guidance.