IF memory does not fail Short Cuts, workers in the government service are enjoying three types of retirement.
Those in the Judiciary, their workers are mandated to have a mandatory age of retirement at 70. In the military, they are enjoying a lower age of retirement at 54. The rest in the government service are retired at 60.
As to how our policy makers and/or lawmakers reached the idea in determining the retirement age of our government workers, is beyond everyone’s comprehension. In fact, it could easily be subjected to one’s guess as to how this came about.
Why at 54 years old? And, another at 60 years old? And, why at 70 years old?
Is retiring at 54 not too early? And at 70 years old to retire, is it not too late? But, at 60 years old to retire, is it not an exemplary and typical move?
Varied maybe are the comments on these issues, but the truth of the matter is that there is now a suggested move to raise the retirement age of our employees in government.
University of the Philippines professor in Political Science Clarita Carlos has pushed for the raising the age of retirement in the Philippines.
Especially in the field of education.
“Because older people have proven that they are capable of working and actually better than their younger counterparts, the general retirement age be raised to at least 65,” Professor Carlos stressed. This pronouncement was made during the recent launching of her book “Population Ageing in the Philippines: issues and Challenges”.
At least with the additional five working years in the labor force, the senior citizen has still to enjoy an augmented income. This will prepare him to “pursue a life of fulfillment in his sunset years”.
It is a fact that the older a man becomes, the more that he needs medical interventions. And, yet his income during his heydays was ONLY all for the household needs of his family. In most cases, not even the educational needs of his children are addressed!
How about in a family of twelve siblings?
And, this is the worst scenario. Nothing more is left for his “Pre Departure” days.
This is the sad reality!
Therefore, for one to rely MAINLY on the privileges that he ought to receive on retirement is a misnomer. These are not enough as financial preparations for one’s twilight years.
As actually observed by the author of the book, “aging population is a global concern, which involves welfare of senior citizens”. This, too, is shared by Short Cuts.
As proposed by Professor Carlos in her book, 65 years old is the compulsory retirement age in government service.
