Pay hike for uniformed men possible in 6 years – lawmaker

A LAWMAKER has assured men in uniform that President Rodrigo Duterte’s pledge to double the salaries of uniformed men or the members of Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will be

Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, senior vice chairman of the House ways and means committee and vice chairman of its appropriations committee, over the weekend said the promised salary hike for PNP and AFP members may cost about P163 billion or roughly P18,000 each, P8,000 of which has been (EO) 3.

EO 3 provides an average P5,000 in combat duty and incentive pay starting September 1 this year, and an additional rice allowance of P3,000 on January 1, 2017.

Current salaries of PNP personnel now cost the government P95 billion and pensions, P25 billion while the AFP men’s salaries are at P68 billion and pensions, P43 billion.

Salceda, also vice chairman of the House local government and economic affairs committees, said in an interview that he is commit programs of the PNP and AFP to ensure the delivery of President Duterte’s pledge.

The Bicol Regional Advisory Council on PNP Transformation and Development recently elected Salceda as its chairman.

The body focuses on the PNP’s roadmap to reach long-term and reforms to further strengthen law enforcement and enhance the welfare of policemen and their families.

Salceda took over the position from Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo, who headed the council when she was Camarines Sur representative.

He said he will pursue activation of the police emergency assistance 911 scheme in Bicol.

Salceda has donated P1 million to the PNP’s stalled research on the incidence of rapes in the region, the low number of successful PNP trainees and performance evaluation of the KASUROG COP pro

He has been closely working with the PNP and the AFP, the of his pioneering disaster risk and reduction programs during his term as governor.