Senate President Chiz Escudero is pushing for the creation of a P20 billion trust fund under a law that will cover the comprehensive social benefits of all uniformed service personnel and their loved ones, in recognition of their sacrifices for providing security and keeping peace and order in the country.
According to Escudero, efforts have been made in the past to uplift the lives of members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), and other uniformed personnel, including raising their salaries and giving them more benefits, but these came in the form of executive issuances and as such are subject to change or even cancellation.
“Nararapat lamang na matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga uniformed personnel kapag may mangyari sa kanila.”
Under Senate Bill No. 276, however, the Senate President wants these institutionalized under the Comprehensive Social Benefits Program (CSBP) that will cover members of the PNP, the AFP, the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit, CAFGU Active Auxiliary, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Bureau of Corrections, and the Philippine Coast Guard, as well as their dependents.
“Nararapat lamang na matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga uniformed personnel kapag may mangyari sa kanila–sa giyera man o habang nagreresponde sa krimen, sunog, at iba pang mga sitwasyon na peligroso. Ganun na rin para sa kanilang kaanak at mga mahal sa buhay. Responsibilidad ito ng ating pamahalaan,” the veteran legislator said.
“We vow to constantly look for ways to thank them for their service.”
“It is about time that we look after the welfare of the people who have been keeping us safe. We vow to constantly look for ways to thank them for their service,” the seasoned lawmaker added.
The Senate chief’s proposal, one of the first 20 measures he has filed under the 20th Congress, will establish a CSBP trust fund that will be maintained and used exclusively for the benefit of uniformed service personnel and their dependents.
The P20-billion trust will be tapped to finance the following:
· Lump sum financial assistance to qualified beneficiaries in the event of death or total permanent disability suffered in the performance of their respective functions
· Educational assistance in the form of scholarship programs and study grants provided by relevant government agencies
· Financial aid for home construction, rehabilitation or improvement of qualified beneficiaries
· Health and medical assistance under the universal health program and other relevant programs under the Department of Health
In addition, qualified beneficiaries will be enrolled in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, or a monthly subsidy of 40 kilos of rice or its cash equivalent, as well as employment assistance to be facilitated by concerned uniformed services.
