Duterte encourages DBM to find ways on how to increase the salary of the soldiers
President Rodrigo Duterte is keen on his promise to the members of the Philippine Army that they will enjoy an increase on their salary before the year 2016 ends.
In his speeches to the members of Armed Forces of the Philippines, Duterte has promised to double their salaries starting December despite the insistence of administration officials that the funds for pay hike could no longer be incorporated in the 2017 national budget.
On Tuesday, Aug. 23, the president said that he was pushing Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to make sure soldiers’ salaries were doubled by December.
This is the statement of the president after Diokno said on Aug. 11 that the government cannot keep Duterte’s promise to soldiers that their salaries will be increased this year because nothing in the 2016 budget could be realigned for the purpose.
Making the remarks before newly promoted generals and flag officers in Malacañang on Tuesday, Duterte said this even after Diokno said that soldiers and policemen’s salaries won’t be increased until next year.
“Before I start, I’ve been egging Secretary Ben Diokno to really see to it that by December, all of the salaries of the soldiers have been doubled already, nauna kayo,” Duterte said.
On Monday, Diokno in his budget presentation at the House of Representatives that P39.59 billion had been earmarked for the salary increase of not only soldiers but also of policemen and other uniformed personnel in 2017.
Aside from soliders, Duterte once said the salary of the police, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) will be twice as big as the current pay starting December this year.
“My dear policemen, police officers, I have increased your salaries. You’re the first—double your present salary by December, and I included the AFP and the PDEA. (You’re) working and gambling with your lives facing criminals,” he said.
Since the campaign period last May, doubling the salary of the police and military has been one of the major promises of Duterte.
He said raising their salary was to discourage them from engaging in corrupt activities and bribery.