Expedite adjustment of retirees’ pension benefits

With your benevolence in the publication of this letter, I hope that the GSIS may soon release the benefits due the retired prosecutors before we die.

RA No. 10071 (An Act Strengthening And Rationalizing The National Prosecution Service) was approved by Congress on May 8, 2010. The benefits mentioned therein shall be granted to all those who retired prior to the effectivity of the Act (Sec. 24). After the enactment of the said law, President Aquino ordered the release of several millions of pesos to implement the same.

On April 22, 2013, the Philippine STAR published “GSIS, DBM blamed for death of retired fiscal”.

In connection therewith, DOJ Undersecretary Leah T. Armamento “pointed the blame to the GSIS and the DBM, saying the (justice) department is doing everything to convince the DBM and GSIS to release the retirement benefits of retired prosecutors xxx and stressed that she already asked the DBM and the GSIS to sign a joint circular to address the claims of retired prosecutors.”

In reply thereto, VP Margie A. Jorilla, Corporate Communications Office, GSIS, states that “DBM submitted the circular to GSIS on April 3, 2013 for signature xxx The GSIS signed the circular on April 17, 2013 and transmitted the same to DBM on the next day. xxx Since The Enactment Of RA10071, GSIS Has Released The Pension Benefits Of 83 Retired Prosecutors.” (emphasis supplied).

My question is, Why Has The Gsis Granted The Pension Benefits Mandated By The Law To 83 Retired Prosecutors Only?

I retired from the service of the DOJ as a SENIOR STATE PROSECUTOR (Prosecutor III, Sec. 15, RA 10071) on December 13, 2004 at age 65 with a total creditable service of 40.34846 years. My Retirement No. is RA0799101 2200. The law provides for an adjustment of my pension benefits:

“Prosecutors With The Rank Of Prosecutor Iii Shall Xx Xx Enjoy The Same Retirement And Other Benefits As Those Of A Judge Of Metropolitan Trial Court” (Sec. 16, emphasis supplied).

To date, however, I, among other retired prosecutors, have not received the additional pension benefits mandated by RA10071.

Moreover, despite my repeated letters to the GSIS, my DIVIDEND for July to December 13, 2004 remains unpaid.

I hope that the GSIS will act expeditiously on the adjustment of the pension benefits of all retirees. – ATTY. VIRGINIA TAGULAO RUIZ, Merville Park Subdivision, Parañaque City