TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ] 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ] 
First Regular Session 
]
SENATE
S.B. No. 1092
§^imu
o( t<«r SftcnHuf
25 AUG -7 PI 24
RECEIVE* ly:
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
AN ACT
LOWERING THE OPTIONAL RETIREMENT AGE OF GOVERNMENT 
EMPLOYEES FROM SIXTY (60) YEARS TO FIFTY-SIX (56) YEARS, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 13-A OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
8291, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE
SYSTEM ACT OF 1997
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Principle 3 of the 1991 United Nations Principles for Older Persons states that 
"older persons should be able to participate in determining when and at what pace 
withdrawal from the labor force takes place." Consistent with this principle, this 
measure seeks to reduce the optional retirement age of all government employees 
from sixty (60) years to fifty-six (56) years.
Lowering the compulsory and optional retirement age would allow government 
employees to fully reap the fruits of their retirement benefits after dedicating long 
years in government service. Equipped with their skills and experience, the retirees 
would be given a chance to venture into other fields of endeavor, making them self- 
sufficient and financially independent.
This bill also seeks to address the unemployment problem in our country. The 
latest Labor Force Survey estimates the country's unemployment rate at 4.1%, slightly


higher than the April 2024 unemployment rate of 4.0%.1 Meanwhile, according to April 
2025 data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Philippines has the second 
highest unemployment rate in the ASEAN at 4.5%, as compared to Vietnam and 
Singapore's 2% unemployment rate, and Thailand's 1% unemployment rate.2
If approved into law, this measure will create more employment opportunities 
in the government, especially for younger jobseekers who may be more adept in new 
business processes and advance technologies. Not only will this help in boosting 
economic activity, this will also potentially help in streamlining government processes 
which, in turn, will lead to financial savings for government agencies and better
services for the general public.
Hence, the immediate passage of this bill is earne^ly sough
GATCHALI
1 Philippine Statistics Authority, Unemployment Rate in April 2025 was Estimated at 4.1 Percent, PSA, at 
https://p5a.qov.ph/statistics/labor-force-survev (last visited June 22, 2025).
2 
International 
Monetary 
Fund, 
Unemployment rate, 
IMF, 
at
https://www.imf.orq/external/datamapper/LUR@WEO/VNM/THA/SGP/PHL/MYS/IDN/BRN (last visited June 22, 
2025).


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S.B. No.
]
]
]
SENATE
1092
BILLS & INDEX
Introduced by SEN. WIN GATCHALIAN
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5
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AN ACT
LOWERING THE OPTIONAL RETIREMENT AGE OF GOVERNMENT 
EMPLOYEES FROM SIXTY (60) YEARS TO FIFTY-SIX (56) YEARS, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 13-A OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
8291, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE
SYSTEM ACT OF 1997
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
SEC. 1. Section 13-A of Republic Act No. 8291, otherwise known as "The 
Government Service Insurance Act of 1997" is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SECTION 13-A. Conditions for Entitlement — A member who 
retires from the service shall be entitled to the retirement benefits in 
paragraph (a) of Section 13 hereof: Provided, That SUCH MEMBER:
(1) 
[be] has rendered at least fifteen (15) years of service;
(2) 
[be] is at least [sixty (60)] FIFTY-SIX (56) years of age 
at the time of retirement; and
(3) 
[be] is not receiving a monthly pension benefit from 
permanent total disability."
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SEC. 2. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations,
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or other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
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hereby amended, modified, or repealed accordingly.


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SEC. 3. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
2 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,