Congress OKs pay hike for soldiers

The two chambers of Congress have approved a bill that grants an increase in the basic salary of members of the Armed Forces.

The proposal was endorsed by a bicameral conference committee whose report was approved by the House on Wednesday night.

"The salary upgrading is part of reforms to make the AFP an efficient armed forces of the people," Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. said yesterday.

He said the pay increase will standardize the salary levels of soldiers, policemen and public school teachers.

The House approved several other conference committee reports, including those on the proposed Comprehensive Drugs Act of 2002 and one that seeks to set up the Film Development Council of the Philippines.

The principal authors of the military salary upgrading bill include Representatives Juan Miguel Zubiri of Bukidnon, Mark Jimenez of Manila, Plaridel Abaya of Cavite and Jose Solis of Sorsogon.

Under the measure, the basic pay of a candidate soldier and a private would be increased to P9,939 or salary grade 10 in the bureaucracy’s pay scales.

"That would be nearly double the salary he is getting at present. The rate does not include allowances," said Zubiri.

The chief of staff, who is the highest-ranking general, would get P28,875 (salary grade 30), about P9,000 more than he is presently receiving.

The other proposed salary rates are P25,333 for a lieutenant general, P24,359 for a major general, P23,422 for a brigadier general, P22,521 for a colonel, P21,655 for a lieutenant colonel, P20,823 for a major;

P20,020 for a captain, P19,251 for a first lieutenant, P18,510 for a second lieutenant, P16,792 for a cadet, P15,841 for a chief master sergeant, P14,944 for a senior master sergeant, P14,098 for a master sergeant;

P13,300 for a technical sergeant, P12,546 for a staff sergeant, P11,837 for a sergeant, P11,167 for a corporal, and P10,535 for a private first class.

These rates are only the minimum since there are small step increases in every salary grade depending on the length of service of the occupants of the position.