The secretary of the Department of National Defense on Wednesday appealed to retired military and uniformed personnel (MUP) who have raised concerns about their 2018 pension differentials to be patient as the government needs to prioritize funding for Covid-19 response.
During his courtesy call to Speaker Lord Allan Velasco in the House of Representatives, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana made the appeal amid the issue sorrounding the P20 billion slashed from the Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF) for retired uniformed personnel under the 2021 General Appropriations Act.
Lorenzana said the payment of pension arrears “can wait” as he called on the pensioners to do their share in helping government fight the pandemic simply by “becoming more patient.”
“The government is not backing away from its obligation,” he assured.
Lorenzana also said “there’s no harm done” with the delay in the payment of 2018 pension differentials to retired MUP.
The Department of Budget and Management had originally proposed P172.9 billion under the PGF to partially fund the payment of the 2018 pension differentials for MUP. However, in the final version of the GAA, the amount was reduced to P152.9 billion or a difference of P20 billion, thus affecting the payment of the 2018 pension differentials.
“Ito lang po ang paalala natin sa pensioners na nagde-demand na makuha na ’yung arrears ng 2018 na kung pwede lang po sana ay maghintay lang tayo ng konting panahon dahil ’yung pera kinain ng Covid at marami tayong pagkakagastusan dito. Bibili pa tayo ng vaccines so baka hindi kayanin,” Lorenzana said.
House Committee on Appropriations Chairman Eric Yap had explained that the P20 billion was in fact a buffer fund, which the DBM, the House and the Senate all agreed to realign in favor of budget items meant to address the Covid-19 pandemic, including the procurement of vaccines and personal protective equipment of medical frontliners.
Yap earlier disclosed that he had been instructed by Speaker Velasco to file a supplemental budget of P50 billion to augment the PGF for MUP in the 2021 national budget.
Image credits: AP