Quisumbing Pushes Increase for Mission Allowance, Combat Duty Pay for Cops

Rep. Gabriel Luis R. Quisumbing (6th District, Cebu City) has filed a bill increasing the combat duty pay of all commissioned and non-commissioned Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel.

House Bill 5455, to be known as “PNP Combat Duty Pay Increase,” also provides a mission allowance to the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel who are exposed to adversity, combat situation and hazards unusual to peacekeeping.

Under the bill, the monthly combat duty pay for commissioned and non-commissioned PNP personnel shall be increased from P240 to 25% of their base pay.

The mission allowance, on the other hand, shall represent 50% of their base pay, the bill provides.

Quisumbing sought the immediate passage of the measure citing Section 5 of Article XVI of the Constitution, which provides that professionalism in the armed forces and adequate remuneration and benefits of its members shall be a prime concern of the State.

Quisumbing, a vice chairperson of the House Committee on National Defense and Security, lamented that government forces in conflict areas receive only P240 per month as combat pay.

This pay is given only to police and military personnel assigned to critical areas or tactical units like the 44 members of the Special Action Forces 55th Company who died in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, according to Quisumbing.

“With the risk inherent in such missions, the concerned PNP troops only receive measly salaries, allowances, and benefits in exchange for the dangers they face in fulfilling their duties,” Quisumbing said.

The amount necessary to implement the proposed act for the current year shall be charged against the savings of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

Likewise, the national government shall appropriate annually and include in the General Appropriation Act the amount corresponding to the total annual coast of the increase in combat pay.

House of Representatives Media Relations Service, Public Relations and Information Bureau