Pay hike for soldiers, cops to take effect this January

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, through Joint Resolution 1, has approved the 100-percent pay hike for the military, police and other uniformed personnel, which would take effect this January.

“There is a need to adjust the compensation package of MUP, in order to make it more commensurate with their critical role in maintaining national security and peace and order, taking into consideration their exposure to high-risk environments in the performance of their duties,” said Duterte in Joint Resolution 1 inked on January 1.

The signing of Joint Resolution 1 was in line with Duterte’s pledge last year to double the salaries of policemen and soldiers.

The joint resolution was first passed by the House of Representatives as House Joint Resolution 18 on December 11, 2017 and adopted by the Senate as an amendment to Senate Joint Resolution 11 on December 13, 2017.

The modified base pay schedule covered all military personnel under the Department of National Defense, as well as uniformed personnel under the Department of Interior and Local Government, Philippine Coast Guard, and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority.

Under Joint Resolution 1, a soldier with a Private rank and a Police Officer 1 will enjoy a monthly base pay of P29,668, beginning January 1, 2018.

All MUP will each receive a P540 worth of hazard pay monthly.

The joint resolution also provides that the Provisional and Officers’ Allowances will no longer be part of the MUP’s compensation, starting January 1 this year, since these are granted as an interim measure pending the modification of the base pay schedule.

The budget for the adjusted base pay schedule of MUP would be sourced from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund and from any available allotment in the respective budgets of concerned agencies.

Malacañang released Joint Resolution 1 on Tuesday, January 9. SunStar Philippines