SENATOR Raffy Tulfo wants to increase the subsistence allowance of police and soldiers and their personnel.
Tulfo filed Joint Resolution No. 2 raising the subsistence allowance of all officers and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and all commissioned and non-commissioned personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from P150 to P250 a day.
During the Senate budget hearing for the Department of National Defense (DND) in September 2022, Tulfo noted that the soldiers’ meager subsistence allowance of P150 per day, which they had to stretch to buy breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
He said such amount is not even enough to buy a decent hamburger.
According to him, the P150 daily allowance could hardly support the subsistence of the family of soldiers and police personnel.
He cited the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data stating that the monthly cost of living should be at Php44,000 per month to recoup a decent living.
“It is high time that we recognize and honor the very vital roles played by our soldiers and policemen by looking after their welfare and providing them with decent and adequate compensation as well as reasonable and substantial benefits,” the joint resolution read.
Tulfo said the DND, in coordination with the AFP and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and PNP shall promulgate and immediately issue the rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of the joint resolution.
Likewise, the National Government shall appropriate annually and include in the General Appropriate Act the amount corresponding to the total annual cost of the increase in Subsistence Allowance.