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Visionary Voices
Beyond Pensions: Preparedness and Motivation of Government Employees Toward a Secured Retirement
Laad, S. M. O. (2026). Beyond Pensions: Preparedness and Motivation of Government Employees Toward a Secured Retirement. Lakbay-Diwa Publishing. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21978126
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Author(s)
Laad, Sheena Marie Oco
Description
The study, "Beyond Pensions: Preparedness and Motivation of Government Employees Towards a Secured Retirement," examined retirement preparedness and motivation among government employees in response to the increasing financial pressures associated with inflation, rising living costs, and dependence on traditional pension benefits under Republic Act No. 8291 and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). It specifically assessed employees' capacity, willingness, and opportunity to engage in alternative financial strategies, particularly strategic business partnerships, to supplement retirement income and strengthen long-term financial security. Anchored on the psychosocial Capacity-Willingness-Opportunity (CWO) Model, the study employed a quantitative descriptive-correlational design involving 332 permanent civil servants with at least five years of government service from five national government agencies in Naga City, Camarines Sur: the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr), Department of Education (DepEd), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and Philippine National Police (PNP). Results revealed that respondents were generally well educated, with 66.27% holding baccalaureate degrees and 18.67% possessing master's units. Most were aged 31–40 years (38.86%) and belonged to Salary Grades 11–18 (69.88%). Notably, 49.73% reported having no financial investments outside compulsory pension programs, indicating substantial dependence on a single source of retirement security. Respondents demonstrated a positive attitude toward alternative financial structures, with business partnerships receiving a weighted mean (WM) of 3.29. Government-led entrepreneurial incubation and mentorship was strongly supported (3.45), while motivation was primarily family-centered, particularly providing for dependents and achieving peace of mind (both 3.61). Under the CWO framework, Capacity obtained a WM of 2.89. Although respondents demonstrated investment knowledge (3.06), limited liquid cash reserves for unexpected business losses remained a significant constraint (2.77). Willingness obtained a WM of 3.25, reflecting strong interest in financial training (3.31) but considerable loss aversion toward moderate risks involving primary savings (3.17). Opportunity obtained a WM of 3.07, with digital financial tracking tools viewed as accessible (3.13), although workplace institutional support remained relatively weak (3.03). Macroeconomic inflation (3.22) and institutional loan obligations (3.09) emerged as major external barriers to retirement preparedness. The study recommends early-career financial orientation, structured training on passive business partnership management, financial counseling, and voluntary bonus-segmentation mechanisms that enable gradual investment contributions. Interventions should prioritize mindset, financial exposure, and investment engagement rather than salary grade alone. The study further recommends operationalizing the SecureStep Framework (Institutionalized Co-Partner Model) through the Legacy Ladder, Matching Fairs, Digital Wealth Tracker, and Future-Proof Your Legacy information materials. These initiatives may provide government employees with practical pathways toward diversified retirement income, improved financial resilience, and greater economic security beyond traditional pension benefits.
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