MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has assured the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) that its budget for 2025 will get support, noting that the House of Representatives will increase the subsistence allowance given to military personnel.
In his speech during the fellowship of House officials with AFP officials and personnel at the Naval Operating Base in Subic, Zambales, on Friday, Romualdez said they will increase the subsistence allowance by more than two times 鈥� from P150 per personnel to P350 in 2025.
鈥淣ow, I鈥檒l give you this brief announcement that I hope will make you happy. We, the House of Representatives, have already undertaken that in the forthcoming budget, we shall now include a P15-billion package that will increase, will more than double your P150 subsistence allowance to P350,鈥� said Speaker Romualdez, eliciting applause and cheer from the soldiers.
鈥淚 repeat, we are more than doubling your subsistence allowance, and that is in due recognition for the overdue increase that we think you have deserved for a long time. And we saw it fit to do this immediately in the forthcoming budget,鈥� he added.
According to Romualdez, the House understands the soldiers鈥� sacrifices and hardships, which is why the House and the government try to give back to the country鈥檚 military personnel.
鈥淜now that the House of Representatives recognizes the enormity of the problem and is taking concrete steps to ensure that you have all you need to do your duty and accomplish your mission, free from the constraints that hamper your ability to defend our shores,鈥� he said.
鈥淎lam namin ang mga sakripisyo ninyo, gayundin ng inyong pamilya. Kinikilala namin ito at binibigyan ng halaga (We recognize and value the sacrifices you and your family have made),鈥� he said.
鈥淥bligasyon po ng inyong pamahalaan na siguruhing sapat ang inyong kakayahan para ipagtanggol ang ating bayan. Misyon din namin na alagaan ang inyong mga mahal sa buhay habang kayo ay nasa larangan,鈥� he added.
(It is the government鈥檚 duty to ensure you are able to defend our country. It is also our mission to care for your loved ones while you are on the field.)
The AFP was led by Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Charlton Sean Gaerlan, who represented AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Romeo Brawner Jr.
Meanwhile, Romualdez was accompanied by House committee on appropriations chairperson and Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Elizaldy Co, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, and Camiguin Rep. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo.
According to Romualdez, Filipino soldiers are the 鈥渕ost important component of our national defense,鈥� which is why the House has 鈥渁ctively pushed for the passage of a sustainable fiscal framework for the pension system of military personnel.鈥�
鈥淗angarin namin na maging payapa ang inyong kaisipan hanggang sa oras ng inyong pagre-retiro. Para maging maganda ang kinabukasan ninyo pati na ang inyong pamilya,鈥� he stressed.
(Our goal is for you to have peace of mind up to the time that you retire from service so that you and your family can have a better future.)
鈥淗ere and now, I re-affirm the commitment I made in earlier interactions with your brothers in other areas of the country: under my watch, the operations of the Armed Forces, and its modernization efforts, shall continue to have adequate budgetary support in 2025 and in the years that follow,鈥� the Speaker added.
While confidential funds for the P6.352 trillion proposed budget in 2025 have decreased by 16 percent, defense spending or the allocation to defense establishments has increased by 51 percent.
According to his budget message for the 2025 National Expenditures Program, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. decided to put P419.3 billion into the defense sector to boost its capabilities in upholding the country鈥檚 sovereignty and national territory amid recent developments in the West Philippine Sea.
Marcos said this proposed funding for next year is 50.8 percent higher than the P278.1 billion given to the defense sector in 2024.