Manila Bulletin

President grants financial support to active CAFGUs

- By GENALYN D. KABILING

President Duterte has granted financial support to the Citizen Armed Forces Geographic­al Unit (CAFGU) members in appreciati­on of their contributi­on in addressing the country's security threats.

Under Executive Order No. 69, each qualified member of the CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) unit will be given 17,000 per month covering the months of November and December,

2018.

The order was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea by authority of the President last December 4. It recognized that the CAA units support the Armed Forces of the Philippine­s (AFP) by providing vital military intelligen­ce, joining traditiona­l and non-traditiona­l military operations, securing conflictaf­fected communitie­s, and acting as first responders during natural disasters.

“There is a need to provide financial support to members of the CAA units in recognitio­n of the invaluable assistance they provide to the AFP in dealing with security threats, their indispensa­ble service in maintainin­g local peace and order and meeting local insurgenci­es, and the faithful performanc­e of their duties which they carry out at great risk to themselves and their families,” the order read.

CAFGU, created in 1987 through

Executive Oder No. 264, is mandated to complement and support the military in dealing with internal and external security threats. Each CAFGU member reportedly receives around 14,500 a month from government.

EO 69 stated that only duly appointed CAA members appearing in the roster of the AFP shall be entitled to the financial support. Funds for financial aid would be sourced from this year's contingenc­y fund.

The government, meantime, is eyeing the possibilit­y of providing monthly financial support to the CAFGU units.

For the succeeding years, the President has directed the Department of Budget and Management to study and propose measures to extend financial support to CAA members on a monthly basis. The budget department has also been asked to identify funding sources for such financial support subject to the country's budgeting and auditing rules and regulation­s.

The latest order of the President takes effect immediatel­y upon publicatio­n in the Official Gazette or a newspaper.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Philippines