QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- Officials from the Department of Finance (DOF), the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) engaged in a productive dialogue with representatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP) on June 7.

The meeting, held at Camp Crame in Quezon City, aimed to discuss proposed reforms to the Military and Uniformed Personnel (MUP) pension system.

The forum with the PNP marked the second leg of a comprehensive series of consultations. Prior to engaging with the PNP, the economic team had consulted with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to gather their sentiments on the matter.

During the dialogue, National Treasurer Rosalia De Leon outlined the goals of the proposed reform, emphasizing the intention to maintain the quality of life for uniformed personnel while ensuring long-term financial sustainability. De Leon highlighted the importance of stakeholder consultations in the reform process, stating, "This is precisely why we have these kinds of forums. Para makuha namin ang perspectives ninyo, and together we can achieve a collective buy-in."

The event witnessed the participation of approximately 300 police officers in person, with an additional 1,000 joining online. The economic team welcomed the concerns raised by the PNP and assured them that these would be taken into serious consideration during the drafting of the formal proposal.

One of the major concerns expressed by participants was whether the pension for uniformed personnel would be treated the same as the pension for civilian civil servants. In response, GSIS Senior Vice President George S. Ongkeko, Jr. emphasized that the GSIS would solely manage the funds while preserving the independence of the MUP pension. Ongkeko assured the participants, stating, "Sa GSIS, we ensure na walang co-mingling of funds. Huwag po kayong mabahala. Si GSIS po maraming mina-manage na fund, at sa lahat po nung mga fund na yun, we make sure na wala pong co-mingling. Kanya kanya po talaga."

DOF Undersecretary Maria Luwalhati Dorotan Tiuseco expressed the team's willingness to have further conversations to address additional concerns and provide more details. "Rest assured that we would be more than willing to talk in smaller groups if needed so we can better explain the proposals," she said.

PNP Lieutenant General Michael John Dubria delivered a message on behalf of PNP Chief Police General Benjamin Acorda, Jr., stating that the police force remained "open to further discussions." Lt. Gen. Dubria emphasized that the proposed reforms were supported by the President himself. He concluded the event by expressing hope for the best, "for the good of the economy, the nation, and the welfare of all."

The economic team is scheduled to hold the next round of consultations with the Philippine Navy on June 8. These ongoing discussions aim to gather insights and perspectives from various military and uniformed personnel branches to create a comprehensive and sustainable reform plan for the MUP pension system. (PIA-NCR)