CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu provincial government has echoed the call of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) to allow elected officials who have served nine years in office to voluntarily contribute for their Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) premiums after their terms.
The PCL, in their National Executive Officers and National Board Meeting last January 17, 2020, adopted a resolution asking the GSIS to allow their members to voluntarily pay for their premiums in order to qualify them for their retirement benefits in the future.
Under Section 13-A of the Government Service Insurance System Act of 1997 (RA 8291), a GSIS member must complete at least 15 years of government service in order to qualify for and claim retirement benefits.
Local government officials, including city and municipal councilors, however, may only have three consecutive terms with three years of service each for his term, under the Local Government Code of 1991.
“Following the logic laid down in both RA [7160] and RA 8291, the three full term of nine years of service for a councilor is still wanting, and as such disqualifies him/her to claim GSIS benefits like that of retirement benefits,” reads the resolution of PCL Cebu president Francis Salimbangon.
The Provincial Board, on Monday, February 10, 2020, carried unanimously Salimbangon’s resolution.
In order to qualify for retirement benefits, local government units will have to run for, win and served two more full terms or six years in office.
“…this would however prove to be far-fetched for some councilors who simply wish to change his/her career, venture into a business or could no longer serve public office due to old age, and other physical and mental conditions [among others],” the measure added.
Salimbangon said allowing councilors to voluntarily contribute after nine years, to complete the 15 years of minimum requirement, “could bring down the anticipation of uncertainties due to unfortunate illness, accident or loss and in addition provides for the councilor and his family a source of financial security and protection given the insurance coverage.” /bmjo