Senator De Lima criticizes the military and police pensions being inserted in the Bayanihan 3

Senator Leila M. de Lima has raised concerns about the Bayanihan to Arise As One Act’s (Bayanihan 3) bill’s erroneous inclusion of the payment of police, military, and other uniformed personnel’s pensions.

De Lima, a champion of social justice and human rights, stated that such insertion is repulsively misplaced in a proposed legislative act aimed at assisting Filipinos in “paddling through the waves of an ongoing pandemic.”

“It is reassuring to know that the most-needed wage subsidies, allowance for teachers and aid for the agri-fishery sector or ayuda is coming their way. Kahit papaano ay may maaasahang tulong ang ating mga kababayang patuloy na naghihirap dahil sa mga epekto ng pandemyang ito,” De Lima said.

“Ngunit nakakagulat na sa? 401 bilyon pondong kalakip ng Bayanihan 3, mukhang may pabaong naisingit na wala naman sa mga orihinal na bersyong isinumite ng mga mambabatas sa Kongreso. Bakit may? 54.6-bilyong para sa pensyon ng militar at pulisya? Anong klaseng pakulo na naman ‘yan?” she added.

The P54.6 billion allotted for military and police pensions is apparently the measure’s second largest appropriation, surpassing cash earmarked for programs such as wage subsidies, teacher allowances, and agri-fishery help.

The bill’s authors also stated that the money would be used to make up for a substantial budget drop in the pension and gratuity accounts for soldiers and cops in the 2020 budget.

While Congress is likely to work on rectifying what De Lima described as a “messy and reckless policy” of increasing military and police base pay, which has had a significant impact on the government’s pension system for uniformed workers, she questioned the timing.

“Why now? And what good will this even do when the government knows it’s already cash-strapped enough as it is?” she asked.

“Just to be clear, in case the minions of Mr. Duterte have forgotten or are too preoccupied with trying to please a particular political party, we are dealing with a health crisis. ‘Solusyong medikal, hindi militar’ nga ang paulit-ulit na sigaw natin. Sakit, gutom at kahirapan ang kalaban. Walang kinalaman ang pensyon dyan, ‘di ba? Nasaan ba talaga ang prayoridad?” De Lima added.

“Sa gitna ng malawakang krisis, lumabas ang tunay na kulay ng administrasyong ito. Napakaraming mas karapat-dapat na makatanggap ng halagang iyan: mga medical frontliner, mga manggagawang nawalan ng trabaho, mga gurong patuloy ang kalbaryo sa distance learning, mga mahihirap na walang makain sa araw-araw, mga maliliit na negosyong nagsara o nanganganib na magsara,” she said.