INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — After over two decades, 145 former employees of government-owned media corporation Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC-13) have finally received their retirement pay.
In a statement from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Saturday, it said that at least 25 of the retirees have already passed away before they could enjoy the fruits of their labor.
Most of them are already on maintenance medicines, facing various health issues, while some are “gravely ill.”
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PCO said that it took 22 years and 28 management teams before the payment was given to the retirees.
In her speech during the awarding ceremony on Friday, Secretary Cheloy Garafil said settling the retirement pay of the former IBC employees was one of the marching orders of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
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“The President gave the instruction to help resolve their claims as addressing the welfare of media workers is one of the cornerstones of his administration and of the PCO. So it is a great honor for me to be able to be part of this much-awaited and much-deserved awarding of benefits to our colleagues in the media,” Garafil said.
200 families benefited
For his part, IBC-13 President and Chief Executive Officer Jimmie Policarpio said that around 200 families benefited from the development.
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“With spirits of thanksgiving, they can now look forward to enjoying their waning years with dignity and pride in having served God, country and people,” the IBC-13 management said.
PCO said that Policarpio thanked the government, as well as the Senate of the Philippines especially Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Koko Pimentel, Jinggoy Estrada, and JV Ejercito who sponsored the bill for the release of the pay.
The IBC-13 management also expressed gratitude to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, and the Governance Commission for Government-Owned or -Controlled Corporations, or GCG, headed by Chairman Atty. Marius Corpus.