Higher allowance for soldiers, police sought

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 8): Higher allowance for soldiers, police sought

Military officials-turned-party-list lawmakers are seeking to increase the daily subsistence allowance of the personnel, officers and cadets of the military and police forces to provide them and their families with ” decent living”.

In filing House Joint Resolution 11, Magdalo Party-list Reps. Ashley Acedillo and Gary Alejano sought to hike the daily subsistence allowance being received by military and police forces from P90 to P150.

Those who will benefit from the proposal are all officers, enlisted personnel, candidate soldiers, probationary second lieutenants, Cadets and Civilian Active Auxiliaries (CAA) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and of all commissioned and non-commissioned personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) cadets.

Acedillo and Alejano lamented that current subsistence allowance per day is meager and cannot support the subsistence of the family of soldiers and police personnel.
Citing the National Statistics Office (NSO) report, they said the monthly cost of living for a family of five should be at least P13,200 per month in order to recoup a decent living.

“It is high time that we recognize and honor the very vital role played by our soldiers and policemen by looking after their welfare and providing them with decent and adequate compensation as well as reasonable and standard benefits,” Acedillo, a vice chairman of the House Committee on Globalization and WTO, said.

Alejano, vice chairman of the Committee on National Defense and Security, said the government should take steps in promoting professionalism among police and military men by providing them adequate remuneration and benefits.

He said the proposed increase shall be charged against the savings of the Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) for the current year or the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, or both.

Under the joint resolution, which is now pending at the House committee on appropriations, the national government shall appropriate annually and include it in the General Appropriations Act (GAA).

http://www.mb.com.ph/higher-allowance-for-soldiers-police-sought/