Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana thanked President Duterte for supporting the military, the latest show of which was the implementation of the increase in the pension of Military and Uniformed Personnel.
Lorenzana, in a letter to the commander-in-chief the other day, recognized the approval and prioritization of the Defense department’s request to implement the provisions of Joint Resolution No. 1 which authorizes “the increase in base pay of military and uniformed personnel in the government, and for other purposes.” It was signed last New Year’s Day by the President.
“Truly, your unparalleled support for our uniformed personnel serves as our guiding light as the Armed Forces of the Philippines continues to pursue its duty to the Filipino nation,” he said. “Through the increase in the pension of the Military and Uniformed Personnel, the sacrifice and dedicated service of our soldiers have been truly and duly recognized,” he added.
According to Lorenzana, the Department of National Defense had recommended that the Department of Budget and Management be directed to implement the pension indexation under JR No. 1, Series of 2018, and release additional funds for that purpose.
The intention was expressed by the department through an official letter addressed to Malacanang last May 17 signed by then officer-in-charge Defense Undersecretary Cardozo Luna.
On June 13, the DBM announced that it had disbursed some P54.23 billion for the pension of retired military, police, and uniformed personnel – P29.9 billion of which was allotted to the AFP – following the delayed implementation of the General Appropriations Act.
The DBM allotted P21.7 billion to the Philippine National Police; P1.9 billion to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP); and P731 million to the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
The disbursements include the “adjustment of the pension of retired MUPs as indexed to the base pay scale of MUP in the active service covering the period June to December 2019.”
“The momentous grant of the department’s request will help in its pursuit of its mandate to protect the State and the Constitution, and will boost the morale of our past, present, and future defenders, who have risked their lives in service to the Philippines and its people,” Lorenzana said. (Martin Sadongdong)
