DND wary of MUP bill impact on morale, welfare of troops

By Charles Dantes and Macon Ramos-Araneta

SECRETARY Carlito Galvez has appealed to the senators to consider the morale and welfare of the troops in tackling the proposed new pension system for the military and uniform personnel (MUP) retirees.

Meanwhile, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada’s bill raising the military veteran’s disability pension had a smooth sailing at the Senate.

During a public hearing by the Senate committees on national defense and security, government corporations and public enterprises, ways and means, and finance, Galvez said he was echoing the sentiment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. about the impact of the new pension system currently under consideration by the Senate.

“In fact, the President also gave an in-

MAYOHAN FESTIVAL.

The townsfolk of Tayabas City reach for the sky as they try to catch goodies, coins and other minor valuables being thrown by donors to highlight the celebration of their Mayohan Festival, a local tradition of sharing blessings and bountiful harvests from their fields.

Danny Pata

struction that he is very much concerned about the impact of this on the morale and welfare of the army personnel and policemen, and he wanted that there should be a continuous discussion to have a common ground,” Galvez said.

In the proposed new MUP pension system, retirees will receive 18 months’ worth of their salaries which is only onehalf of the current system that provides a lump sum of 36 months of their salaries.

Galvez asserted that 70 to 80 percent of the enlisted personnel were eyeing