President orders DBM to find sources for AFP salary increment.
CAMP GUILLERMO NAKAR, Lucena City, Quezon – President Rodrigo Roa Duterte assured the AFP salary increase and providence of military equipment sarting August 2016.
As he spoke to the troops of the Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) Thursday (July 28) afternoon, Duterte said that he has ordered Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Benjamin Diokno to allocate funds for the gradual increase of monthly salary of the military men.
It can be recalled that a day after his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23, the AFP commander-in-chief has assured the troops based at Fort Magsaysay Military Reservation, the largest military reservation of the country, that he will find ways to have their salaries augmented.
“Starting next month may increase na ang suweldo ng mga sundalo”, said Duterte to the members of the 7th Infantry Division.
This is despite the fact that the 2016 National Annual Budget has not allotted the same for the personnel services of the AFP.
The president explained that when he entered the presidential post, the budget for the fiscal year 2016 has already been drafted and approved by the Congress in 2015. But he assures that the DBM will find sources to fulfill the promised salary increment.
In 2017, the AFP salary increase is expected to be at its fullest.
In a separate speaking engagement, the president has also promised the soldiers that he shall solve all their problems with regards to their children’s education and hospitalization of family members, among others, and they only need to echo those to their direct superior who will then relay it to him, as long as they promise not to engage in illegal activities to make both ends of their household meet.
Aside from the benefits, President Digong also said he has plans of hiring 20,000 additional strong men to the military force.
“I will give you everything you need to carry out your mandate. I cannot make you happy, but I assure you that I can make your life comfortable habang ako ang Pangulo (while I am president)”, he said.