Philippine lawmakers to lower government workers’ retirement age

A bill that seeks to lower the optional retirement age of government workers in the Philippines to 56 from the current 60 gained overwhelming support from the country’s House of Representatives.

The lawmakers voted overwhelmingly on the third and final reading of the measure that seeks to amend Section 13-A of the Republic Act 8291, also known as the “Government Service Insurance Act of 1997”.

If passed into law, the bill will allow Filipino government employees who reached the age of 56 to file for retirement, and be eligible for a life pension from the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

According to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio, who was the principal author of the bill, the proposed law will allow civil servants to fully enjoy their retirement benefits.

The lowering of the retirement age had been demanded by civil servants for many years.