P17 B allotted in 2025 budget for soldiers' monthly allowance

The Congress-approved 2025 General Appropriations Bill (GAB) that has yet to be signed into law by President Marcos has earmarked P17 billion for the P10,500 total monthly subsistence allowance of soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

- By DELON PORCALLA

"Both the House and the Senate, largely through the efforts of Speaker Martin Romualdez, have agreed to provide a 133-percent increase in the daily subsistence allowance for our soldiers from P150 to P350 to further improve their welfare," House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan said.

"The allowance is now equal to P10,500 monthly," he added.

The opposition lawmaker made the disclosure in relation to the 89th founding anniversary of the 165,000-strong AFP last Saturday.

"We are aggressively investing in the well-being of our soldiers, who are at the core of our national defense, even as we spend an average of P30 billion every year to upgrade the military's hardware and systems under the revised AFP modernization program," Libanan said.

He served in the bicameral conference committee that reconciled the House and Senate versions of the GAB.