The bicameral conference committee, after four-hour deliberations managed to thresh out the disagreeing provisions of Senate Bill No. 1849 and House Bill No. 6517 that seeks to amend the law on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) officers’ tour of duty. The measure set the retirement age of all military officers and personnel at 57-year-old, except the AFP Chief of Staff who will retire upon completion of a tour of duty or upon the relief of the President. Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada (seated, right), Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security led the upper chamber conferees. Beside Estrada is his counterpart in the House of Representatives Congressman Raul Tupas. Others in photo are (standing from left to right) Rep. Jorge Bustos, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III, Sen. Christopher Go, Rep. Divina Grace Yu, Rep. Mercedes Alvarez, Sen. Imee Marcos, Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, and Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo. (Benjie J. Murillo / Rey Javelosa, Office of Senator Estrada)