Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of the Army, Navy (including the Marine Corps) and the Air Force. The President of the Philippines is the Commander-in-Chief of the AFP and forms military policy with the Department of National Defense, an executive department acting as the principal organs by which military policy is carried out.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines, being the protector of the people, plays a crucial role in preserving peace and harmony, by defending the country against terrorism and other forms of threats, whether of civilian or military nature. Despite the on-going series of controversies surrounding the military, particularly those relating to graft and corruption and the continued schism in the AFP hierarchy, spawning public apprehension over threats of possible coup attempts, such role could certainly not be denied; hence, proving its indispensability and importance. Unfortunately, many of our soldiers begin to get disenfranchised because their immense contributions seem to be not reciprocated, if not fully rewarded. Although legislative efforts are undertaken to ensure better pay and work conditions, many of these initiatives are still pending, and those already enacted remain unimplemented. Yet, this should not be a reason not to push for more reforms in the AFP. Many things can still and ought to be done. 'j1):le purpose of this measure is to improve the living conditions of our AFP soldiers by providing for an automatic pay increase to any member of the Armed Forces who is deployed away from the member's permanent station or, in the case of a member of a reserve component of the Armed Forces, the member'S home of record, once the deployment period exceeds 180 days of continuous duty. pkticularly now that soldiers are deployed a~ywhere in the country and even overseas, given the on-going threats of terrorism, the measure is a welcome development since it seeks to financially reward these soldiers, which though merely pecuniary, should be seen as our collective acknowledgement of their contribution to the task of peacemaking. Hence, immediate passage of the bill is earnestly sought.