r,' •
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 949
25 AUG-5 P4:09
REaiV"DBV
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
PROVIDING AN OPTION TO QUALIFIED NON-CAREER SERVICE 
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO PAY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 
GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM, AND TO ENABLE THEM TO 
COMPLETE THE MINIMUM YEARS OF CONTRIBUTION FOR PURPOSES OF 
AVAILING RETIREMENT AND OTHER APPLICABLE BENEFITS UNDER 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8291, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE GOVERNMENT 
SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM ACT OF 1997", AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE SECTIONS 13 AND 13-A OF THE SAME LAW
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is the social security program for 
government workers, except members of the Judiciary and Constitutional 
Commissions which are covered by separate retirement laws, contractual employees 
who have no employee-employer relationship with their agencies, and the Military and 
Uniformed Personnel (MUP) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine 
National Police.
GSIS members are entitled to social security benefits such as life insurance and 
retirement packages, which are particularly useful for senior members after many 
dedicated years of public service.
However, many employees from the public sector are excluded from such 
benefits as they do not complete the minimum number of fifteen years of service.


Elected officials from the local government units and their staff can only stay in office 
for three consecutive terms or a total of nine years. Also, government personnel who 
serve under members of the national legislature may not complete the required 
number of years as senators are elected to a six-year term and can serve for not more 
than two consecutive terms or 12 years. The same is true for the staff complement of 
the President and the Vice President who have a term of six years with no provision 
for reelection. Unless they get re-elected or hired in other government posts, many 
employees will be unable to receive pension coverage as they fall short of the needed 
years of public service.
Data from the Inventory of Government Human Resources (IGHR) of the Civil 
Service Commission (CSC) show that as of June 30, 2024, there are a total of 
2,037,456 personnel of the government - 193,022 or 9.47% of which are non-career 
positions.1 Unfortunately, there are no provisions in Republic Act No. 8291 or the 
GSIS Act of 1997 which cater to non-career officials. Non-career officials are entitled 
to separation pay only, without any privilege to make voluntary contributions to the 
GSIS pension program.
This proposed measure provides an option to qualified non-career service 
government employees to make voluntary contributions to the GSIS Fund, and to 
enable them to complete the minimum years of contribution for purposes of availing 
retirement and other applicable benefits. This bill aims to honor the unwavering 
dedication and exemplary service of non-career personnel by ensuring that they may 
also enjoy social protection and adequate pension benefits once they retire.
The immediate passage of this legislation is earnestly sought.
NGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA
1 Statistics and Reports


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 949
25 AUG-5 P4:10
Rl';CIIvVj.» B':
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
PROVIDING AN OPTION TO QUALIFIED NON-CAREER SERVICE 
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO PAY VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE 
GOVERNMENT SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM, AND TO ENABLE THEM TO 
COMPLETE THE MINIMUM YEARS OF CONTRIBUTION FOR PURPOSES OF 
AVAILING RETIREMENT AND OTHER APPLICABLE BENEFITS UNDER 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8291, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE GOVERNMENT 
SERVICE INSURANCE SYSTEM ACT OF 1997", AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE SECTIONS 13 AND 13-A OF THE SAME LAW
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Section 13 (b) of Republic Act No. 8291 is hereby amended to read
2 
as follows:
3 
"SEC. 13. Retirement Benefits. -
4 
"(a) XXX
5 
"(b) Unless the service is extended by appropriate
6 
authorities, retirement shall be compulsory for an employee
7 
of sixty-five (65) years of age with at least fifteen (15) years
8 
of service: Provided, That an employee has less than fifteen
9 
(15) years of service, the employee may be allowed to
10 
continue in the service in accordance with existing civil service
11 
rules and regulations: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT NON-
12 
CAREER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE
13 
COMPLETED THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS IN


1 
GOVERNMENT SERVICE, AS DEFINED IN THE RULES
2 
AND REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING THIS ACT, SHALL
3 
HAVE THE OPTION TO CONTINUE THEIR
4 
MEMBERSHIP IN THE GSIS AND TO PAY VOLUNTARY
5 
CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPLETING
6 
THE MINIMUM FIFTEEN (15) YEARS OF
7 
CONTRIBUTION FOR ENTITLEMENT OF THE BENEFITS
8 
UNDER THIS ACT."
9 
Sec. 2. Section 13-A of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
10 
"SEC. 13-A. Conditions for Entitiement - A member
11 
who retires from the service shall be entitled to the retirement
12 
benefits enumerated in paragraph (a) of Section 13 hereof:
13 
Provided, that:
14 
"(1) [be] THE MEMBER has rendered at least fifteen
15 
(15) years of service, OR, IN THE CASE OF A NON-
16 
CAREER GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE, HAS SERVED THE
17 
MINIMUM NUMBER OF YEARS IN GOVERNMENT
18 
SERVICE AS DEFINED IN THE RULES AND
19 
REGULATIONS IMPLEMENTING THIS ACT, IS
20 
QUALIFIED TO AVAIL OF THE OPTION TO PAY
21 
VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS TO GSIS, AND MUST
22 
HAVE COMPLETED FIFTEEN (15) YEARS OF
23 
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GSIS;
24 
"(2) [be] THE MEMBER is at least sixty (60) years of
25 
age at the time of retirement; and
26 
"(3) [be] THE MEMBER is not receiving a monthly
27 
pension benefit from permanent total disability."
28 
Sec. 3. Non-Diminution of Retirement and Separation Benefit - Nothing herein
29 
contained shall diminish the retirement and separation benefits already enjoyed under
30 
the laws that existed at the time of retirement.


1 
Sec. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days after the
2 
effectivity of this Act, the GSIS shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement
3 
this Act.
4 
Sec. 5. Separability Clause. - If for any reason, any provision of this Act is
5 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, such parts not affected thereby shall remain in
6 
full force and effect.
7 
Sec. 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and
8 
regulations and other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act
9 
are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
10 
Sec. 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
11 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,