Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Franklin M. Drilon today said that with the P150 million for payment of pension of PC-INP retirees incorporated in the proposed P1.126 trillion national budget for this year, policemen who are retired from service can now claim more judicious retirement benefits.
When the President approves the proposed budget bill next month, Drilon said the 2007 national budget will provide for the pension benefits of retirees belonging to the defunct Integrated National Police (INP), particularly members of the Manila's Finest Brotherhood of the Western Police District. The benefits, Drilon noted, will be at par with that being received by the retirees of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
"The new budget for this year addresses the glaring disparity between the rates of pension being received by the INP as compared with that of the retirees of the PNP. It is only fair that we provide for equal benefits to those who performed the same nature of work," Drilon said.
During the budget deliberations on the 2007 budget, Sen. Alfredo Lim, a retired police general, pushed for the inclusion in the national budget of a pension fund that will finally address the protracted clamor of INP retirees to receive the same rate of pension as that of PNP retirees.
The gap between the pension of INP and PNP retirees widened when the effort to professionalize the police service necessitated the upgrading of the benefits received by PNP personnel in terms of pay and allowances as well as other additional allowances, Drilon noted.
The INP retirees are receiving pension based on the rate of pay they received when they were still in the active service. Their pension is provided for by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and based on the rate of pay they received while in the active service as provided in the PNP, Drilon added.
A comparison of the rate of pension showed that an INP retiree with a rank of Corporal receives a monthly pension of P3,225 as against a PNP retiree with a corresponding rank of SPO3 who receives P11,310 monthly pension, or a difference of P8,085. An INP brigadier general at retirement receives P10,054 monthly pension as compared to a matching rank of chief superintendent in the PNP, who receives P18,088, or a difference of P8,033.
"For a very long time now, the INP retirees were left at a very disadvantageous situation. We hope to provide the retired police force some form of upliftment in their lives, amidst the economic hardships we are going through," Drilon said.
On June 3, 2002, The INP retirees filed a civil case against the Department of Budget and Management, PNP, Civil Service Commission and the GSIS. The case was decided in favor of the INP retirees on March 21, 2003. At present, the case has been elevated to the Supreme Court for review. The payment of the claims of INP retirees shall be subject to the decision of the Supreme Court under GR No. 169466.
Over the weekend, Drilon announced that the budget bill for 2007 will provide for a total of P10 billion for the rehabilitation of areas in the country badly affected by typhoons Milenyo, Paeng, Reming and Seniang.
The Bicameral Conference Committee has broken the deadlock on the 2007 budget bill after a series of meetings with Drilon's House counterpart, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda.
The bicam committee agreed on a compromise version of the budget that shall be submitted for ratification by both chambers of Congress when session resumes this month, Drilon said. The bill can then be presented for the President's signature before Congress adjourns on February 10.
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