B’guet mentors: Lower teacher retirement age

By Augustin Dao-anis

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet—The teachers in this province aired supportto  the proposed lowering of mandatory retirement age  of public school teachers from 65 to 60 years old and optional retirement age from 60 to 55 years old.

During the recent 3rd Benguet Teachers’ Day celebration, the National Association of Public Secondary School Heads, Inc.(NAPPSHI)-Benguet Chapter launched a signature campaign for the cause.

“More or less 2, 500 teachers responded to our signature campaign,” said NAPSSHI-Benguet Chapter president Wilbert H. Cuidno, school principal of Benguet National High School-main campus.

He said the NAPSSHI-Benguet Chapter would attach the said copy of signature campaign with a resolution to Benguet Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan.

“We will draft a resolution to be submitted to Congressman Ronald Cosalan for his reference at the House of Representatives,” added Cuidno.

He said teaching is rigorous job so it is difficult to handle for a teacher who is beyond 55 years old.

Sen. Francis G. Escudero earlier filed Senate Bill 89 that lowers the retirement age of the Department of Education employees from 65 to 60 years old.

Prior to this, the committee level in the House of Representatives approved in 2015, the House Bill 4501, which seeks for the lowering of mandatory retirement age  of public school teachers from 65 to 60 years old and optional retirement age from 60 to 55 years old.

In the same year, ACT Party-list Representative Antonio L. Tinio filed House Bill 5533 which also seeks for the lowering of public school teachers retirement age.

“The lowering of teachers’ retirement age means enjoyment of remaining years outside classroom setting,” said Janet S. Cabael, a teacher at La Trinidad National High School, Lubas, La Trinidad.