FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Juan Pence Enrile 
E X ~ L A N A ~ ~ ~ ~  
NOTE 
This Bill seeks to enhance the current retirement benefits of Justices and 
Judges by reducing the required length of service in the government from 
twenty (20) years to (15) years in order to receive retirement pension, adding 
additional monetary as well as non-monetary benefits to the retirees, and 
providing survivorship benefits to direct heirs of retirees and magistrates who 
died or were killed in the performance of their duty as such. 
Choosing a career in the Judiciary entails dedication, integrity and 
probity. It is not an easy career, as a magistrate needs to undergo a never- 
ending process of self-improvement through continuous legal education and 
training, necessary in order for him or her to be efficient, fair and just in 
deciding controversies before them. The work demands in terms of number of 
cases filed before the magistrates are not the only..challenge of the profession. 
Whenever a sensitive and controversial case is before a.Justice or a Judge, they 
may suffer the ire of a litigant and risk not only their personal safety but the 
safety of their loved ones as well. 
The compulsory retirement age of a Justice and Judge is seventy (70) 
years old. Most of the retirees, more often than not, within a few years after 
retirement, spend their benefits and pension on medications and hospital bills. 
When they pass away, there will be nothing left for their family, especially their 
spouse, who supported the deceased in choosing a career in public service. The 
upgrading and enhancement of retirement benefits of qualified Justices and 
Judges, which will now include survivorship benefits for their spouses, is a 
fitting way to give appreciation to these members of the Judiciary for their 
length of service in the government, devoting their minds and talents for justice 
to prevail in our land. 
I 
This Bill’s purpose is to give gratuity to the deserving men and women in 
the Judiciary who dedicated their lives for public service, in order to be 
instruments in dispensing justice in our nation. 


In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of the Bill is earnestly 
sougkq. 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
S.B. No. 3.21 
Introduced by Senator JUAN PONCE ENRILE 
AN ACT 
GRANTING ADDITIONAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS TO MEMBERS OF THE 
JUDICIARY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 910, AS 
AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 910, as amended is hereby 
amended to read as follows: 
"SECTION 1. When a Justice of the Supreme Court, [or ofj the 
Court of Appeals, THE SANDIGANBAYAN OR OF THE COURT OF TAX 
APPEALS, OR a Judge of the Court, [Industrial Relations], [Juvenile and 
Domestic Relations] METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT, MUNICIPAL TRIAL 
COURT, [or a city or municipal judge] MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL 
COURT, SHARI'A DISTRICT COURT, SHARI'A CIRCUIT COURT, OR ANY 
OTHER COURT HEREAJTER ESTABLISHED who has rendered at least 
[twenty (20)] FIFTEEN (15) years service in the Judiciary or in any other 
branch of the Government, or in both (a) retires for having attained the 
age of seventy years or (b) resigns by reason of his incapacity to 
discharge the duties of his office AS CERTIFIED BY THE SUPREME 
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COURT, he shall receive during the residue of his natural life, in the 


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manner hereinafter provided, the salary PLUS THE HIGHEST MONTHLY 
AGGREGATE OF TRANPORTATION, LIVING AND REPRESENTATION 
ALLOWANCES which he was receiving at the time of his retirement, or 
resignation, AND NON-WAGE BENEFIT IN THE FORM OF‘ EDUCATION 
SCHOLARSHIP TO ONE (1) LEGITIMATE CHILD OF ALL JUSTICES AND 
JUDGES TO FREE TUITION FEE IN A STATE UNIVERSTIY OF 
COLLEGE: PROVIDED, THAT SUCH GRANT WILL COVER ONLY ONE (1) 
BACHELOR’S DEGREE. [And] When a Justice of the Supreme Court or 
the Court of Appeals, THE SANDIGANBAYAN OR OF THE COURT OF 
TAX APPEALS, OR a Judge of the [Court of First Instance] REGIONAL 
TRIAL COURT, [Industrial Relations], [Juvenile and Domestic Relations] 
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT, [or a city or 
municipal judge] MUNICIPAL 
CIRCUIT TRIAL 
COURT, 
SHARI’A 
DISTRICT COURT, SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURT, OR ANY OTHER COURT 
HEREAFTER ESTABLISHED, [ or a city or municipal judge] has attained 
the age of sixty years (60) and has rendered at least FIFTEEN [twenty] 
years service in the Government, the last five (5) of which shall have been 
continuously rendered in the Judiciary, he shall likewise be entitled to 
retire and receive during the residue of his natural life also in the 
manner hereinafter provided, the salary PLUS THE HIGHEST MONTHLY 
AGGREGATE OF TRANSPORTATION, LIVING AND REPRESENTATION 
ALLOWANCE WHICH he was then receiving AND THE NON-WAGE 
BENEFIT IN THE FORM OF EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP TO ONE (1) 
LEGITIMATE CHILD OF ALL JUSTICES AND JUDGES TO FREE TUITION 
FEE IN A STATE UNIVERSITY OR COLLEGE; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, 
THAT ANY JUSTICE OR JUDGE WITH LESS THAN FIFTEEN (15) YEARS 
SERVICE IN THE GOVERNMENT OR JUDICIARY, WHO SHALL RETIRE 


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DUE TO REASONS HEREINABOVE PROVIDED, SHALL BE ENTITLED 
TO A PRO-RATA MONTHLY PENSION COMPUTED AS FOLLOWS: 
NO. OF YEARS IN THE 
BASIC PAY PLUS THE 
GOVERNMENT OR JUDICIARY 
HIGHEST MONTHLY 
X 
AGGREGATE 
15 YEARS 
TRANSPOIETATION, 
LIVING REPRESENTATION 
ALLOWANCES 
It is a condition of the pension provided for herein that no retiring 
Justice or Judge of THE AFOREMENTIONED COURTS during the time 
that he is receiving said pension shall appear as counsel before any court 
in any civil case wherein the Government or any subdivision or 
instrumentality thereof is the adverse party, or in any criminal case 
wherein an INCUMBENT OR FORMER officer or employee of the 
Government is accused of an offense committed in relation to his office, 
or collect any fee for his appearance in any administrative proceedings to 
maintain an interest to the Government, national, provincial or 
municipal, or to any of its legally constituted officers. 
It is also a 
condition of the pension provided for herein that when a member of the 
Judiciary entitled to the benefits of this Act shall assume an elective 
public office, [he] shall not, upon assumption of office and during his 
term, receive the monthly pension OR ANY OF THE ALLOWANCES due 
him." 
SEC. 2. Section 2 of the same Republic Act is hereby amended to read 
as follows: 


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“SEC. 2. In case a Justice of the Supreme Court or Court of 
Appeals, THE SANDIGANBAYAN OR OF THE COURT OF TAX APPEAL, 
OR a Judge of the [Court of First Instance] REGIONAL TRIAL COURT, 
[Industrial 
Relations], 
[Juvenile 
and 
Domestic 
Relations] 
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT, [or a city or 
municipal judge] MUNICIPAL 
CIRCUIT TRIAL 
COURT, 
SHARI’A 
DISTRICT COURT, SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURT, OR ANY OTHER COURT 
HEREAFTER ESTABLISHED, dies while in actual service, his heirs shall 
receive a lump sum of five yeears’ gratuity computed on the basis of the 
highest monthly salary plus the highest monthly aggregate of 
transportation, living and representation allowances received by him as 
such justice or judge [if by reason of his length of service in the 
government he was already entitled to the benefits of this Act] WITHOUT 
THE LENGTH OF SERVICE REQUIRED IN SECTION ONE HEREOF: 
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, WHERE THE DECEASED JUSTICE OR JUDGE 
HAS RENDERED AT LEAST FIFTEEN YEARS EITHER IN THE 
JUDICIARY OR IN ANY OTHER BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT OR BOTH, 
HIS HEIRS SHALL INSTEAD BE ENTITLED TO A LUMP SUM OF TEN 
YEARS GRATUITY COMPUTED ON THE SAME BASIS AS INDICATED IN 
THIS PROVISION. 
IF THE JUSTICE OR THE JUDGE WAS KILLED BECAUSE OF HIS 
WORK AS SUCH, THE LEGITIMATE SURVIVING SPOUSE, AS WELL AS 
THE LEGITIMATE AND ADOPTED CHILDREN BELOW EIGHTEEN (18) 
YEARS OF AGE SHALL RECEIVE IN EQUAL SHARES ALL RETIREMENT 
BENEFITS OF THE DECEASED JUDGE OR JUSTICE AS IF SUCH 
JUDGE OR JUSTICE HAS REACHED COMPULSORY RETIREMENT AGE, 
PROVIDED THE JUDGE OR JUSTICE HAS SERVED IN GOVERNMENT 


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FOR AT LEAST FIVE (5) YEARS REGARDLESS OF AGE AT THE TIME OF 
DEATH. 
WHEN A JUDGE OR JUSTICE IS KILLED INTENTIONALLY 
WHILE IN SERVICE, THE PRESUMPTION IS THAT THE DEATH IS WORK 
RELATED. 
UPON REACHING THE AGE OF TWENTY-ONE (Zl), PREVIOUSLY 
ENTITLED CHILDREN-BENEFICIARIES SHALL CEASE TO RECEIVE 
THEIR PART OF THE RETIREMENT BENEFIT, WHICH SHARE SHALL 
REDOUND TO THE SURVIVING SPOUSE. THE SURVIVING SPOUSE 
SHALL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE SUCH RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR 
THE REST OF HER NATURAL LIFE OR UNTIL REMARRIAGE. [The same 
benefits provided for in this section shall be extended to any incumbent 
justice of the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals, or judge of the 
Court of First Instance, Circuit Criminal Court, Agrarian Relations, Tax 
Appeals, Juvenile and Domestic Relations, or city or municipal court, or 
any other court hereinafter established; as the case may be, without 
having attained the length of service required in Section 1 hereof, shall 
have to retire upon reaching the age of sixty five years, or upon other 
cause, such as illness or permanent physical disability, to be certified by 
the tribunal to which the justice concerned belongs, or by the Supreme 
Court in the case of an incumbent judge of the Court of First Instance, 
and other similar courts or records, or a city or municipal judge, which 
render him incapacitated to continue in his position.] 
SEC. 3. Section 3 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 3. Upon-Retirement, a Justice of the Supreme Court or of 
the Court of Appeals, THE SANDIGANBAYAN OR OF THE COURT OF 


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TAX APPEALS, OR a Judge of the [Court of First Instance] REGIONAL 
TRIAL COURT, [Industrial Relations], [Juvenile and Domestic Relations] 
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT, [or a city or 
municipal judge] MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL 
COURT, 
SHARI’A 
DISTRICT COURT, SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURT, OR ANY OTHER COURT 
HEREAFTER ESTABLISHED shall be automatically entitled to a lump 
sum payment of five years SALARY [gratuity] computed on the basis of 
the highest monthly salary plus the highest monthly aggregate of 
transportation, living and representation allowances he was receiving on 
the date of his retirement[.] AND THEREAFTER UPON SURVIVAL AFTER 
THE EXPIRATION OF FIVE YEARS, TO FURTHER ANNUITY PAYABLE 
MONTHLY DURING THE RESIDUE OF HIS NATURAL LIFE PURSUANT 
TO SECTION 1 HEREOF: Provided, however, That if the reason for the 
retirement be any permanent disability contracted during the 
incumbency in office and prior to the date of his retirement, he shall 
receive [only] a gratuity equivalent to ten years salary and THE 
allowances aforementioned [within further annuity payable monthly 
during the rest of the retiree’s natural life]: PROWDED, FURTHER, THAT 
SHOULD THE 
RETIREMENT BE WITH THE ATTENDANCE OF ANY 
PARTIAL 
PERMANENT 
DISABILITY CONTRACTED 
DURING 
HIS 
INCUMBENCY AND PRIOR TO THE DATE OF RETIREMENT, HE SHALL 
RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL GRATUITY EQUIVALENT TO TWO (2) YEARS 
LUMP SUM THAT HE IS ENTITLED TO UNDER THIS ACT: PROVIDED, 
FURHTER, THAT IF THE JUSTICE SURVIVES AFTER TEN (10) YEARS 
OR SEVEN (7) YEARS, AS THE CASE MAY BE, HE SHALL CONTINUE TO 
RECEIVE A MONTHLY ANNUITY AS COMPUTED UNDER THIS ACT 
DURING THE RESIDUE OF HIS NATURAL LIFE PURSUANT TO SECTION 
1 HEREOF: PROVIDED, FINALLY, THAT THOSE WHO HAVE RETIRED 


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WITH THE ATTENDANCE OF ANY PARTIAL PERMANENT DISABILITY 
FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVITY OF THIS ACT SHALL BE 
ENTITLED TO THE SAME BENEFITS PROVIDED HEREIN. 
UPON THE DEATH OF A JUSTICE OR JUDGE OF ANY COURT IN 
THE JUDICIARY, IF SUCH JUSTICE OR JUDGE HAS RETIRED, OR WAS 
ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE OPTIONALLY AT THE TIME OF DEATH, THE 
SURVIVING LEGITIMATE SPOUSE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE 
ALL THE RETIREMENT BENEFITS THAT THE DECEASED JUSTICE OR 
JUDGE WOULD HAVE RECEIVED HAD THE JUSTICE OR JUDGE NOT 
DIED. 
THE 
SURVIVING SPOUSE SHALL CONTINUE TO RECEIVE 
SUCH RETIREMENT BENEFITS UNTIL THE SURVIVING SPOUSE’S 
DEATH OR REMARRIAGE.” 
“Sec. 3-A. ALL PENSION BENEFITS OF RETIRED MEMBERS OF 
THE JUDICIARY SHALL BE AUTOMATICALLY INCREASED WHENEVER 
THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE SALARY OF THE SAME POSITION 
FROM WHICH HE RETIRED.” 
“Sec. 3-B. THE BENEFITS UNDER THIS ACT SHALL BE GRANTED 
TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE RETIRED PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVITY OF 
THIS ACT.” 
SEC. 4. During the fiscal year two thousand and seven, this Act shall be 
funded from savings of the Judiciary. Thereafter, the necessary sum for this 
purpose shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
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accordingly. 
SEC. 5. All laws, decrees, orders, rules or regulations or parts thereof 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are herby repealed or modified 
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SEC. 6. 
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following the 
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completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) 
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newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
JGR/ cklmaralit/tere/ 2591 judiciary/Ddisk-