Retirement of Underground Mine Workers (RA 8558)
WHAT IS THE LAW ON THE RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS OF UNDERGROUND MINE WORKERS?
Special treatment of underground mine workers
As a manifestation of concern for the welfare of underground mine workers, Article 287 was amended by RA 8558. Department Order No. 09, Series of 1998 was issued to implement this law.
Underground mine employee
An underground mine employee refers to any person employed to extract mineral deposits underground or to work in excavations or workings such as shafts, winzes, tunnels, drifts, crosscuts, raises, working places whether abandoned or in use beneath the earth’s surface for the purpose of searching for and extracting mineral deposits.
Different optional and compulsory retirement age
The optional retirement age of underground mine workers is fifty (50) years of age; while the compulsory retirement age is sixty (60) years old.
Minimum years of service requirement
To be entitled to retirement benefits, the underground mine worker should have rendered service as such for at least five (5) years, in addition to the age requirement. The minimum length of service of at least five (5) years required for entitlement to retirement pay shall include authorized absences and vacations, holidays, and mandatory fulfillment of a military or civic duty.