THE House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading, with 233 affirmative votes, zero negative votes and one abstention, a bill that raises the mandatory retirement age of uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from 56 to 57.
House Bill (HB) No. 8702 would amend Section 39 of Republic Act No. 6975, otherwise known as the Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990.
It is one of several priority measures the House has passed under the leadership of Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III and Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos.
HB 8702 is a consolidation of seven related legislative proposals, including HB No. 4917, authored by Marcos.
In filing the proposed law, Marcos said the raising of the mandatory retirement age of policemen “is both timely and necessary, addressing several critical objectives.”
“Increasing the retirement age allows the PNP to maximize the government’s investment in training and professionalizing its officers,” he said.
“Also, by retaining experienced personnel for an additional year, the organization benefits from their specialized expertise and institutional knowledge. This continuity is vital for the leadership and stability of law enforcement operations,” he said.
He added that it likewise “ensures consistency across the country’s uniformed services.”
Marcos pointed out that Congress recently enacted Republic Act (RA) No. 11939, which raised the compulsory retirement age for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) from 56 to 57.
“This measure aligns the retirement framework of the PNP with that of the AFP, acknowledging their parallel roles in safeguarding national security and public order,” he said.
“By extending the retirement age, the PNP can leverage the knowledge, training, and field experience of its senior officers. This proposal will strengthen the PNP’s institutional capacity and promote efficiency and continuity of leadership in law enforcement,” Marcos stressed.
