Duterte vetoes bill granting dependent children of deceased ex-gov’t official survivor benefits

April 15, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte vetoed the bill granting dependent children of deceased retired government officials’ survivorship benefits.

In his veto message by Malacanang on Monday, Duterte said although he supported the importance of passing the enrolled bill, he found the bill too “onerous” to the government.

''It states that the new benefits granted in addition to the benefits enjoyed by other government offices would erode the National Government’s thrust to standardize and rationalize the current compensation framework in the bureaucracy,'' he said

''It will create too much disparity and inequality in compensation among public servants as additional benefits proposed in the enrolled bill are extraordinary benefits that are not granted to any government official under the current government compensation frame work,'' he added.

“In view of these considerations, I am constrained to veto the above-mentioned enrolled bill,” said Duterte.

Malacanang said Duterte took into consideration that granting of benefits outside the current compensation framework may be too burdensome to the government.

“In vetoing this bill, PRRD ( President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) has ensured that disparity and inequality in compensation among public servants will be prevented since the additional benefits proposed in the enrolled bill are extraordinary benefits not granted to any government official under the present compensation scheme of the government,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

“We consider the current government compensation framework in order,” he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS