Bontoc, Mtn. Province – The long wait for two retired employees has ended as the Mountain Province Provincial Government Employee Union (MPPGEU) awarded the Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00) each from the Retirement Assistance Program fund last December 28, 2021 at the Office of the Provincial Governor.
The Retirement Assistance Program (RAP) was institutionalized by then Governor Leonard Mayaen in June 0f 2011 through Administrative Order No. 21 as a token of “pabaon” for retirees.
It requires the deduction of 1% from the salaries of all permanent employees when one of their own retires. The accumulated amount is given to the retiree upon retirement.
However, as years passed by, the number of retirees for a month increased beyond the two retirees per month equivalent to 2% deductible from the payroll. The supposed recipients then lined up and waited for their turn.
The Union has been collecting the 1% from the provincial employees starting the month of October 2021 as the collection payroll has been disallowed by the Commission on Audit due to the use of “accountable forms and bank account of the provincial government in the transactions of the Retirement and Mortuary Assistance Programs”.
The Union has also been using disbursement vouchers and secured and checking accounts with the bank in the name of the organization.
Alfonso Simultog and Antonio Falluyan, who both retired on January 2021, received their shares from Governor Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr.
Another program is the Mortuary Assistance Program (MAP) wherein employees who suddenly die when still in government service will be given the same amount which is also deductible from salaries of all permanent employees. **Roger Sacyaten
