Retirees to press Senate for action on pension bill as emotions run high at town hall

Commonwealth Retirees Association members will head to the Capitol today, July 16, to appeal directly to Sen. Jude U. Hofschneider, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Fiscal Affairs, after an emotional town hall meeting where retirees shared how the possible loss of their 25% pension benefit would affect their daily lives.

Association president Juan Iguel Tenorio said the meeting at the Garapan Roundhouse last night, July 15, was called to give retirees an opportunity to voice their financial hardships following the CNMI government's announcement that it could no longer fund the additional 25% pension benefit payment scheduled for July 31 and future payments.

"We have been experiencing a lot of struggles, economically and financially, to many of the retirees," Tenorio said. "The meeting tonight is called just so that retirees can have an opportunity to share their personal experiences due to economic hardship with the issues about retirees' cut down of their pension."

He said many retirees have already been forced to make difficult financial decisions.

"It further declines their monthly income, which eventually is going to have them to compromise as to what else do they need to deduct from their daily life in order for them to be able to live," he said.

Tenorio said the association also wanted to organize a direct appeal to elected officials.

"Secondly, we are trying to find avenues where we can reach out to our elected officials to continue to look after the retirees," he said.

The retirees agreed to meet with Hofschneider on Thursday afternoon to ask the Senate to advance House Bill 24-84, legislation supporters say would preserve funding for the 25% pension benefit.

"Yes, that's what the members have suggested," Tenorio said when asked whether they would petition Hofschneider. "We have confirmed a meeting with Senator Jude tomorrow at 1:30pm. So we're all going to be at the Legislature by 1 o'clock tomorrow afternoon."

He also urged fellow retirees to attend.

"Fellow retirees, please, if you have time tomorrow, this is just one hour, please come and join us so that we can all show cause that we are going to be greatly financially affected by this shortfall of the 25%," he said.

House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez and Rep. Blas Jonathan "BJ" Tenorio Attao attended the meeting to explain the House's position and why House members support House Bill 24-84, which they said would help secure funding for the retirees' additional pension benefit if approved by the Senate and signed into law.

According to Tenorio, the lawmakers also sought to clear up what they described as misunderstandings surrounding the issue.

"There's a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of social media information that perhaps are not as accurate as what they presented tonight," he said.

Tenorio said the House lawmakers explained that despite the government's financial challenges, they had worked to protect the benefit.

"All they're asking is that with all the shortfalls of the government financial dilemma, they have continued to make sure that the 25% is secured based on the bill that was passed by the House," he said. "It's House Bill 24-84 which will eventually, if passed by the Senate and approved by the governor, it will prevent the cutting of the 25%."

Several retirees then spoke emotionally about the financial strain they said they were already experiencing and what another reduction in income could mean for them.

One retiree said pensioners have already had to choose between paying for food, utilities, and medical coverage.

"They're compromising to buy food, to pay CUC, or to pay my medical insurance," the retiree said. "So again, what we're saying is that further deduction of our pension is going to hurt a lot of the retirees, most especially those that are months older than us... Especially those that are bedridden."

Another retiree, speaking on behalf of widows, said she had already lost her husband's Social Security benefits and half of his retirement after his death.

"And now we're going to be expecting another 25%. You know, this is very hard," she said. "I'm talking on behalf of those widows out there who are survivors."

She urged senators to act on the legislation.

"I hope the Legislature, the Senate, most especially the Senate, should listen to us and pass that legislation," she said. "Let's stop arguing over who is right and who is wrong. It's so detrimental to us retirees."