Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. cus

Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representatives
Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” C. Villanueva and Domingo C. Rivera

AN ACT
LOWERING THE OPTIONAL RETIREMENT AGE OF PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHERS FROM SIXTY (60) YEARS OLD
TO FIFTY-FIVE (55) YEARS OLD, 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

This bill aims to lower the optional retirement age of public school teachers from
60 to 55 years old by amending Republic Act No. 8291, otherwise known as The
Revised Government Service Insurance System Act of 1997, for the following reasons:

First, teaching is a mentally, psychologically, and physically rigorous and
demanding occupation. Public school teachers are required to render six-hours of
actual classroom teaching and the remaining two hours are set aside for non-contact
duties such as attending meetings and marking. In reality, however, they are working
more than eight hours a day and sometimes even during weekends and public
holidays, sacrificing health and work-life integration. Oftentimes, teachers in public
schools also perform non-teaching tasks during elections and national census, among
other occasions.


Moreover, while the ideal students/pupil-teacher ratio is 45:1 for secondary
level and 35:1 for elementary level, class sizes reach above 70 up to about 80! in
congested cities causing undue stress to both teachers and learners, to say the very
least.

In remote areas, teachers face immense challenge on their commute to the
schools. Some spend several hours walking miles and in some cases, crossing
several rivers just to get to their classes on time. On the other hand, school heads and
principals who are assigned to a cluster of at least three or more schools commute
more often to get to and from these clustered schools on a daily basis.

Second, Filipino teachers retire at age 65 while their counterparts in most
ASEAN countries retire at age 60 (UNPAN, 2004). A report revealed that all
elementary school teachers in Indonesia and Malaysia are below 60 years old while
about 62,000 elementary teachers in the Philippines are now over 60 years old.
Filipino teachers also retire five years later than in most American and European
countries.

Third, thousands of retired DepEd teachers and personnel who want to pursue
entrepreneurial activities or to spend more quality time with their families and loved
ones will benefit once the retirement age for teachers is lowered. As a matter of fact,
many teachers could not even reach the optional retirement age because of their
health conditions. Hence, this proposal can help our teachers enjoy their retirement
years while they are still healthy, agile, and strong.

Fourth, this measure could open job opportunities to younger batch of teachers
or fresh graduates who are looking for a career in teaching. About 75,000 new
teachers would pass the Licensure Examination for Professional Teachers (LET)
annually. However, due to lack of teaching items, most LET passers are forced to
accept non-teaching jobs locally and abroad. Others who were ranked by the DepEd
would have to wait for at least one to two years before getting an appointment because
senior teachers are still holding the posts.

Fifth, there are evidences that younger teachers are more productive and work
more collaboratively. The K-12 Law or Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013
demands that K-12 teachers be energetic, healthy, and fit. Likewise, closer generation
gap between younger digital native teachers and leamers will better equip students
with information, media and technology skills, and learning and innovation skills
necessary to nurture and holistically develop Filipino learner.

* 2014, June 3. Students swamp ‘congested’ Metro Manila schools. Retrieved from: http/inewsinfo.inquirer.neU607755/school-
heads-cede-offices-to-classes-626-metro-public-schools-have-2-shifts#hczz4NbbIDFSH (date last accessed: July 11, 2019).


Our teachers should have the freedom to decide what they want to do while
they are still strong, i.e., whether to retire early or to spend the remaining years of their
lives in pursuit of teaching before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 65.

The immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA

~ DOMING IVERA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. GUE

Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representatives
Eduardo “Bro. Eddie” C. Villanueva and Domingo C. Rivera

AN ACT
LOWERING THE OPTIONAL RETIREMENT AGE OF PUBLIC
SCHOOL TEACHERS FROM SIXTY (60) YEARS OLD
TO FIFTY-FIVE (55) YEARS OLD, 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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Lowering of Optional Retirement Age. — Section 13-A of Republic Act
No. 8291, otherwise known as The Government Service Insurance System 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 enumerated in paragraph
(a) of Section 13 hereof: Provided, That:

(1) he/SHE has rendered at least fifteen years of service;
(2) he/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
SCHOOL TEACHERS; and


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

SECTION 2. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from

the effectivity of this Act, the Government System Insurance System, Department of

Education and other concerned government agencies shall promulgate the necessary
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 3. Repealing clause. — All laws and any other law or parts of law specifically
inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its

publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,