‘Cops deserve more benefits, allowances’

Following revelations of the meager allowances of the country’s police forces in last Tuesday’s hearing on the Mamasapano incident, Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny Angara renewed yesterday his call for the passage of the Magna Carta for the Philippine National Police (PNP) which seeks to codify and strengthen the existing rights and benefits of PNP personnel.

In that hearing before the Senate public order committee of Sen. Grace Poe, relieved PNP-Special Action Force (SAF) Director Getulio Pascual Napenas revealed the meager allowances that PNP uniformed personnel get.

Responding to Angara’s query, Napenas said that members of PNP stationed in danger zones and tactical units receive a hazard pay amounting to ₱240 per month or ₱8 a day and a combat pay of ₱1,020 every quarter or ₱340 a month (or more than ₱1 a day).

Under the Angara measure (Senate Bill 2594), “uniformed PNP personnel who is exposed to hardship and combat situation or other hazard unusual to peacekeeping, crime prevention and investigation activities will be compensated with a special hardship allowance similar to hazard and combat pay, equivalent to at least 50 percent of their monthly basic salary.’’

When enacted into law, the Angara measure bill the monthly hazard and combat pay of a Police Officer II would be increased from the existing total of

₱580 to ₱8,467 (half of ₱O2’s monthly base pay of ₱16,934 under Salary Standardization Law 3).

“I believe that the measly amount of ₱580 a month is not enough to compensate for the bravery, hardship and sacrifice of our elite cops who willingly risk their lives for the security of the Filipino people. The government must show greater appreciation and recognition for their unwavering service by increasing their benefits and allowances,” Angara said.