By NG Seruela
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte asked the Congress for the passing of a unified system for the separation, retirement, and pension of military uniformed personnel and a law providing free legal assistance to the members of the security forces.
In his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday (July 26), he asked the Congress for the passing of a unified system for the separation, retirement, and pension of military uniformed personnel to “maintain government fiscal flexibility and provide adequate benefits and remuneration to [the] men and women in uniform.”
However, he emphasized that the said benefits will only apply to new entrants of the military and uniformed services.
“Hindi ho lahat. It cannot be that we have to pay so many, even the salaries of the retired. They get a chunk of the big budget. And if we include the new entrants, the funds available for them would not be enough,” he said.
In relation to this, President Duterte pointed out that it is “high time” for the country to pass a law that provides free legal assistance to the officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to “help defend them from charges arising from incidents related to the performance of official duty.”
Duterte highlighted that “providing the security forces the necessary equipment, enhancing their capabilities, and looking after the families of the soldiers who would no longer be in their company” will inspire them to serve the nation with the “highest degree of loyalty and patriotism.”
“We enabled them to carry out their mandate to defeat all enemies of the state whatever the cost,” he said.
The Chief Executive also welcomed the country’s two missile-capable warships that will enable the Philippines to protect its sea.
“The continuous upgrading of our defense capability shall ensure that we shall uphold our territorial integrity and sovereignty from external and [internal] security threats, among the new additions. We welcomed the country’s two missile-capable warships, to enable us to protect our seas,” he added.
Duterte said he is proud of the accomplishments of the nation’s troops in protecting the country against all threats to the “democratic institutions.” -rir
