Gov’t hikes salary, subsistence allowance for military and uniformed personnel

The Marcos administration is beefing up support for military and uniformed personnel (MUP) this year, rolling out higher base pay, increased subsistence allowances, and new positions, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said.

The higher take-home pay follows the issuance of Executive Order No. 107, which mandates salary increases in three tranches, the DBM said.

The DBM issued National Budget Circular No. 600 on Jan. 13.

The salary increases already started on Jan. 1, and will be followed with subsequent rounds on Jan. 1, 2027, and Jan. 1, 2028.

“A total of P21.7 billion has been clearly allocated for this (pay increase)— P15.4 billion for active service and P6.3 billion for pension obligations,” the DBM said in a statement on Wednesday.

Budget Secretary Rolando U. Toledo said the move recognizes the daily sacrifices of MUP, who protect the nation, often working through exhaustion, sleepless nights, and long periods away from their families.

“This is not written on water — this is certain, and funding has already been set aside,” he added.

Along with the take-home pay hike, the subsistence allowance has increased to P350 per day from P150 per day, effective on Jan. 1.

The DBM said it has allotted P71.5 billion to guarantee the continuous implementation of the higher allowance benefit.

“The increase in the subsistence allowance is not a luxury and not a favor—it is recognition that those who guard the nation must have sufficient food, strength, and daily nutrition,” Mr. Toledo said.

The covers all MUP of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Public Safety College, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Bureau of Corrections, Philippine Coast Guard and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority and Resource Information Authority under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

In addition, the DBM said 10,077 new military and uniformed positions will be created across agencies under the 2026 national budget, backed by a P4.06 billion allocation.

The new posts are aimed at easing workload pressures and strengthening the government’s capacity to respond to threats, crises, and disasters, the DBM said.

Broken down, the PNP, BFP, and the BJMP will each add 2,000 new posts.

The Coast Guard will add 1,719 positions, the Armed Forces will add 1,358, and the Bureau of Corrections will add 1,000. — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante