Senator Francis "Chiz" Escudero is pushing for the automatic promotion of government employees upon retirement similar to military and police officials.

In filing Senate Bill 297, Escudero stressed the need "to ensure" that government employees "will have a comfortable life after serving their country for many years."

SB 297 proposes to grant a promotion of one salary grade level higher than the employee's position at the time of retirement.

The measure has passed the first reading in the Senate and has now been referred to the technical working group of the chamber's Committee on Civil Service, Reorganization, and Professional Regulation.

"It is not an overstatement to say that the men and women in the government service, particularly those who have committed most of their lifetime as government workers for 20 years or so, are dedicated and devoted public servants," said Escudero.

"But beyond this statement, nothing much awaits them as they finally leave government service," he pointed out.

Escudero said the proposed measure "aims to give due recognition" for the government workers' hard work and selfless service to the public.

"This proposed automatic promotion upon retirement policy similar to the military service should likewise be extended to the civil service," he stressed.

Once enacted, SB 297 mandates that the adjusted salary grade level of the retiree shall be used as the basis for the computation of the employee's retirement.

The bill also requires the Civil Service Commission, in coordination with the Department of Budget and Management and the Government Service Insurance System, to formulate the necessary rules and regulations to effectively implement the measures once enacted into law.