AFP retirement age raised to 57

Marcos Oks changes to fixed terms of senior AFP officers

MANILA, Philippines —  President Marcos has signed into law a measure raising the retirement age in the Armed Forces of the Philippines to 57 and amending the fixed terms of top AFP officials, modifying a policy that reportedly caused “grumblings” in the military.

Republic Act No. 11939, signed by Marcos on May 17, amended RA 11709, which had prescribed a fixed three-year term of duty for the AFP chief and other top military officials.

Signed by former president Rodrigo Duterte last year, RA 11709 was designed to promote continuity in the AFP’s programs by discarding the “revolving door” policy, which saw some military officials staying in their posts for only a few months.

The AFP, in a statement, welcomed the development, saying “the changes will further strengthen professionalism in the military and ensure the continuity of programs while maintaining the AFP’s dynamic and progressive promotion system.”

Earlier this year, Senior Defense Undersecretary Carlito Galvez Jr. told senators there was “grumbling” within the military over the fixed term law.

He said the law could affect the promotion of about 135,000 enlisted personnel or those with the rank of private to first chief master sergeant as well as soldiers who were getting old.

Under the new law, the AFP chief of staff shall have a maximum tour of duty of three consecutive years, which shall start on the date the appointment is signed, unless sooner terminated by the president.

The chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy, and the Superintendent of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) shall have a maximum tour of duty of two consecutive years. They shall not be eligible for any position in the AFP unless promoted to the position of chief of staff

Previously, the AFP chief of staff, vice chief of staff, deputy chief of staff, the chiefs of the Army, Air Force and Navy, the chiefs of unified commands and the inspector-general had a fixed tour of duty of three years while the PMA superintendent had a four-year term.

The new law also states that an officer must have at least one year remaining in active service before compulsory retirement to be eligible for promotion to brigadier general or commodore or higher, except for the posts of AFP chief, Army, Air Force and Navy chiefs and PMA superintendent.

The retirement age for military officers with the rank of second lieutenant or ensign to lieutenant general or vice general was raised from 56 to 57. A soldier shall be compulsorily retired if he or she reaches the retirement age or upon accumulation of 30 years of satisfactory active duty, whichever comes later.

The new law also prescribed a maximum tenure-in-grade of three years for generals or admirals, lieutenant generals or vice admirals and major generals or rear admirals and five years for brigadier generals or commodores. The maximum tenure of officers with the rank of colonel or Navy captain is 10 years while that of lieutenant colonels or Navy commanders is seven years. For majors or lieutenant commanders and captains or Navy lieutenants, the maximum tenure is six years. The President may lengthen the tenure-in-grade of officers holding the rank of captain, major and lieutenant colonel or their equivalent up to two promotional cycles when necessary “to maintain the desirable officer rank structure and uphold the progressive professional development of the officer corps.”

The law signed by Marcos also stipulates that its provisions shall also apply to officers and enlisted personnel appointed or promoted under RA 11709 and other pertinent laws.

It also contains a provision on officer grade distribution in line with the AFP modernization program. The percentage for general or flag officers is 1.25 percent based on the total officer strength under the military’s table or organization. For colonel or Navy captain, the percentage is six percent while for lieutenant colonel or commander, the percentage is 12 percent. The percentage for major or lieutenant commander is 18 percent while that for captain or Navy lieutenant is 20 percent. For first lieutenant or Navy lieutenant junior grade, the percentage is 42.75 percent.

In a recent statement, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairman of the Senate defense committee, said the amendment to RA 11709 is perceived as “the best option to address the unintended consequences of the relatively new law.”

Senators sought to remain consistent with the intent and objectives of RA 11709 while addressing the sources of unease created by the implementation of the law, Estrada added. - Rainier Allan Ronda