Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson is pushing to raise the compulsory retirement age of uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) from 56 to 57.

Lacson filed Senate Bill Nos. (SBN) 2395 and 2396, saying the additional year would allow the agencies to make better use of the experience and institutional knowledge of their senior personnel while giving them more time to pass these on to younger officers.

“This bill, which seeks to increase the retirement age of the members of the PNP to fifty-seven (57) years old, intends to give the PNP leadership more time to implement their intended institutional reforms and for the institution to maximize the years-worth of knowledge and skills of their personnel,” Lacson said in SBN 2395.

His other measure seeks the same adjustment for BJMP and BFP personnel.

It aims “to give the senior officers of the BJMP and BFP the opportunity to maximize their expertise, leadership, and institutional knowledge while providing additional time to impart the same to the younger officers of the bureau,” Lacson said.

The proposed changes are also in line with the adjustment in the compulsory retirement age of members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Lacson, who served as PNP chief from 1999 to 2001, said the police force currently has 230,410 uniformed personnel, while the BJMP has around 26,000 personnel and the BFP has 41,286.

Under SBN 2395, the retirement age for PNP uniformed personnel would be raised to 57.

However, PNP personnel who have less than one year in the service when the proposed law takes effect may choose to retire at 56. The incumbent PNP chief would also remain subject to compulsory retirement at 56.

Under SBN 2396, BJMP and BFP uniformed personnel would likewise have a compulsory retirement age of 57.

The measure also provides that officers with the rank of chief superintendent, director or deputy director general may be retained in the service for an unextendible period of one year, subject to the approval of the Commission.IMT