PNB retirees in Baguio, Benguet still fighting for pension, benefits

BAGUIO CITY — Retirees of all branches of the Philippine National Bank (PNB) in Baguio and Benguet are still fighting their benefits and unpaid pays from their years of service.

Lining up in a demonstration along Baguio City’s Session Road near a PNB branch Tuesday morning, PNB retirees participating in a “national day of action” joined in by all of retirees of all PNB branches around the country cried, “they are getting an unfair treatment from their long years of serving the bank”. 

Retirees claimed that the PNB is employing “delaying tactics in their supposed compliance to the decision of the Courts on the payment of the employees' Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) and Special Amelioration Allowance (SAA).”  

Protesters also complained about the illegal deductions of Government Service Insurance Service (GSIS) gratuity pay from their separation or retirement pay.

They also lamented that the PNB paid separation or retirement pay based on their basic salaries before the privatization of PNB instead of their basic salaries right before their retirement dates.  They also complained about the dissolution of their employees provident fund.

The retirees insisted that GSIS should pay retirement benefits and pension based on total years of government service. 

They are also seeking a legislation granting lifetime pension for former employees who they claim “were forced to receive gratuity pay arising from PNB's privatization”.   

“Instead of a one-time gratuity from their 20 years of government service, PNB employees who received gratuity pay from PNB's privatization should be granted lifetime pension just like government employees who are receiving monthly pension after rendering at least 15 years of service," the former employees said.