Marcos: Fixed term law amendments partially address AFP grumblings

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 19) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the newly-enacted amendments to the law which mandated fixed terms for high-ranking military officials partially addressed the grumblings within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

On May 17, Marcos signed into law Republic Act (RA) 11939 to amend RA 11709 which set fixed three-year terms for top AFP officials.

READ: Marcos OKs law amending fixed terms in AFP

"We are still in the midst of putting together the pension plans so that it will be self-regenerating. However, this takes care of – to a very large extent – the problem of the seniority," Marcos told reporters on Friday, referring to the possibility that top officials who hold their post for too long could lead to others being passed over for promotion.

Related: Marcos wary of military pension reform's impact despite approval

"The amendments to the AFP law were really to address some of the comments and complaints from some of the younger officers," Marcos said.

Defense Officer-in-Charge Carlito Galvez Jr. previously admitted that there were grumblings among AFP officials over the fixed term law.

The president added that the retirement age was also moved from 55 to 57, or after 30 years of active duty, because of the shift to the K-12 curriculum.

"Ang mga recruit mas matanda na [Recruits are older now], they come in two years later so we should move also to adjust for the retirement, and mukha naman well received yun [and it looks like it's well received]," Marcos explained.

He also said the government was working on a housing program for uniformed personnel and that this could be tied in with the proposed pension reform.