Imee: Make use of scholarship funds for fallen law enforcers' kids
The Senate is looking into a proposal to amend a law providing scholarship funds for children of fallen law enforcement personnel and to adopt a ‘’need-based’’ scheme.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Rodolfo Azurin proposed to the Senate to consider amending the law, and modify relevant provisions to indicate therein that the release of scholarship funding to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), PNP, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) are implemented on a need-based scheme instead.
"Yes, that's correct PNP Chief Azurin. We will consider that quickly," Senator Imee Marcos replied during the public hearing Friday, Oct. 7 on the proposed 2023 budget for the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and its attached agencies, including the PNP.
The Senate Finance Sub-Committee tackled the barely used scholarship assistance fund intended for surviving children of permanently incapacitated or fallen personnel from the uniformed service.
The funds are sourced from firearms licensing fees collected by the PNP.
Marcos cited a report indicating that the funds are hardly used, as confirmed by the BJMP.
Unused scholarship funding totals P88 million.
"Let's just transfer this fund if it is not being used. We all are looking for money, for extra funds, and it seems that these are being left unused," Marcos said in Filipino.