House okays bill to help gov’t workers prepare for retirement

MANILA, Philippines —  The House of Representatives has passed on to the third and final reading a pro-entrepreneurship bill that seeks to provide financial security blanket to government employees during their retirement.

Capiz Rep. Jane Castro, principal author of House Bill 3861, known as Government Employees’ Entrepreneurship Development Act of 2011, said the measure seeks to develop entrepreneurship skills among government employees, citing that the State has the duty to enhance its human and intellectual capital by providing a healthy and productive life for government employees after retiring from public service.

House Bill 3861 provides that government employees’ cooperatives will have preferential rights to operate revenue-generating activities in available government-owned sites and facilities in preparation for their retirement.

The Visayan lawmaker said under her bill, all government offices and agencies will prepare a post-service Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) for their employees based on Civil Service Commission-prescribed guidelines.

According to the bill, the EDP is expected to help the government employees increase entrepreneurial opportunities in their respective municipalities, provinces and regions. The program will also introduce them to technology transfer systems, entrepreneurial educational programs and networks.

Under the bill, government will promote and support the establishment of cooperatives with the assistance of the Cooperative Development Authority, and of savings and loans associations (SLAs). –CHARISSA M. LUCI, Manila Bulletin