JULY 19, 2016

NR # 4266

Lower senior citizen age from 60 to 56 years

Party-list lawmakers have moved to lower the senior citizen age from the current sixty (60) to
fifty-six years.
Established facts show that at age 56, age-related ailments and other physical limitations are
already experienced, thus, benefits and special privileges are but necessary, AKO-Bicol party-list Reps.
Rodel M. Batocabe, Alfredo A. Garbin, Jr., and Christopher S. Co pointed out.
The lawmakers are joint authors of HB 529 entitled An Act to reduce the Senior Citizen age from
sixty (60) to fifty-six (56), further amending Republic Act No. 7432, as amended, otherwise known as
An Act to Maximize the contribution of Senior Citizens to nation building, grant benefits and special
privileges and for other purposes.
2010 statistics would show that senior citizens made up 6.8% of the total household population in
the country, and considering the proposed age reduction, an addition of not more than three (3) million
members will come from the 56-59 age group or equivalent to about three (3) percent of the total
household population, they said.
Consequently, the proposed additional members, more than half of whom are considered as
heads of household, and the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines who are separated from
service due to the set mandatory age of retirement of 56 years, will be provided with the same benefits
and privileges as enjoyed by those under existing regular retirement system, the authors added.
Relative to this, the lawmakers also earlier filed HB 136 which seeks to have an optional
retirement age of 56 years of age for all employees in the public and private sector.
Section 3 of HB 136 provides that All employees in the government and private sector,
regardless of their position, designation, or status, and irrespective of the method by which their wages
are paid, upon reaching the age of fifty-six (56) shall be eligible for retirement benefits under governing
laws.
Aside from the obvious benefits of reducing the retirement age to their physical and professional
careers, the reduction harmonizes the retirement age across all government employees as well as private
employees, they explained.
They noted that at present, the mandatory retirement age for the police and the AFP is 56 while
other government employees still need to work for more years (65 years old as mandatory retirement
age).
The lower retirement age ultimately helps the bureaucracy, as it hastens the turnover of
government positions to young professional, making way for the infusion of fresh blood in public
service, they added.
The lawmakers noted the countless cases involving public officers who emphasize the need of a
young workforce in the government to inject new perspectives and insight into the government ranks.
It will also create open more employment opportunities for those seeking employment in the
government and a chance to serve the country, the authors concluded. (30) dpt