Among the legislation wishlist of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., enumerated during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), three are related to the development of the country’s armed forces. They are now moving in Congress.
The revamping of the current pension system for military and uniformed personnel (MUP) is first on the agenda. Economic authorities have warned of fiscal collapse as the current system is fully funded by the government, without any contribution from retirees.
Bills filed mandating contributions from new and active personnel have been met with warnings from former Defense officer-in-charge Carlito Galvez Jr. that about 70% to 80% of enlisted personnel may opt for early retirement to enjoy the benefits of the current system. For now, it’s back to the drawing board for lawmakers as they craft a measure that would satisfy all stakeholders.
Meanwhile, the administration is also fast-tracking measures that seek to make the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and National Service Training Program (NSTP) mandatory for tertiary education. Several youth groups have protested the move and claim it may worsen the culture of violence in universities and colleges.
Find out the status of Marcos’ SONA promises related to the armed forces:
