REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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Quezon City RECEIVED
DATE July 8, 2022
NINETEENTH CONGRESS * TIME 11:39am

First Regular Session

BY
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HOUSE BILL NO. _1640

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to lower the optional retirement age of public
school teachers from 60 to 55 years old so as to give justice to the
plight of our public school teachers.

It is said, when a public teacher retires at the age of 55, he
or she will probably reach the age of 80, but when a public
teacher retires at the age of 60, he or she will only reach the age
of 65.

This is how the longevity of public teachers is now measured
given the herculean task lodged unto them in a day to day basis. The
continuing hazard and high level of stress attendant to the
environment in which they live in, mostly result to absorption of
occupation related diseases like hung cancer and other terminal
illnesses. Records disclose that public school teachers in our
country are working under bleak working conditions. Teachers also
work in 40 out of 54 weeks per year. Working under this condition,
propelled by long hours of works inclusive of vacation months and
holidays, as teachers continue to bring their advisory and work
related loads at home, unnecessarily exposes public teachers to
deteriorating health conditions.

Public school teachers should be given the necessary accolades
for a job well done. They should be given the privilege of optional
retirement at an earlier age taking into consideration the working
conditions they are in, and the tributes that should be conferred


upon them for their contribution in transforming our students into
an educated and productive citizens. And most importantly, public
school teachers should be given the option and the opportunity to
enjoy their lives at an earlier stage for themselves and their families
at the age of 55.

Approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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IL. PRIMI S-AGABAS


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1640

AN ACT
LOWERING THE OPTIONAL RETIREMENT AGE OF PUBLIC SHOOL
TEACHERS FROM SIXTY (60) YEARS OLD TO FIFTY-FIVE (55) YEARS
OLD AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 13-A OF REPUBLIC
ACT 8291, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE GOVERNMENT SERVICE
INSURANCE SYSTEM ACT OF 1997

Be it enacted in the Senate and the House of Representatives in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 13-A of Republic Act 8291, or the Revised Government
Service Insurance System Act of 1997, is hereby amended to read as
follows:

“Section 13-A. Conditions for Entitlement, x x xA member who
retires from the service shall be entitled to the retirement benefits in
paragraph (a) of Section 13 hereof: Provided, That:

“(1) he OR SHE has rendered at least fifteen (15) years of service;

“(2) he OR SHE is at least sixty (60) years of age at the time of
retirement, OR AT LEAST FIFTY-FIVE (55) YEARS OF AGE IN THE
CASE OF PUBLIC SHOOL TEACHERS; and

“(3) he OR SHE is not receiving a monthly pension benefit from
permanent total disability”


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SECTION 2. The provisions in pertinent implementing rules and
regulations and other issuances inconsistent with this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,