(Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN)

House Minority Leader 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy” Libanan says the country’s soldiers can expect an allocation of P17 billion to cover their P10,500 monthly subsistence allowance under the 2025 national budget.

Libanan highlighted this ahead of the 89th founding anniversary of the 165,000-strong Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Dec. 21.

“Both the House and the Senate, largely through the efforts of Speaker Martin Romualdez, have agreed to provide a 133 percent increase in the daily subsistence allowance for our soldiers – from P150 to P350 – to further improve their welfare. The allowance is now equal to P10,500 monthly,” Libanan said in a statement.

“We are aggressively investing in the well-being of our soldiers, who are at the core of our national defense, even as we spend an average of P30 billion every year to upgrade the military’s hardware and systems under the revised AFP modernization program,” he added.

Libanan was part of the Bicameral Conference Committee that reconciled the House and Senate versions of the P6.352-trillion General Appropriations Bill (GAB) for 2025.

The AFP has a total of 165,423 military personnel: 114,576 in the Philippine Army; 27,930 in the Philippine Navy (including the Philippine Marines); and 22,917 in the Philippine Air Force, according to figures from the staffing summary in the 2025 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

The NEP, which emanates from Malacañang, serves as the precursor to the GAB. The 2025 outlay is awaiting President Marcos' signature.

In addition to the subsistence allowance, which is primarily intended for food/meal expenses, military personnel also receive common allowances for economic relief, clothing/uniforms, laundry, quarters, and other stipends as part of their remuneration.

The military’s “common-to-all” compensation package also includes longevity pay, mid-year bonuses, year-end bonuses, cash gifts, productivity enhancement incentives, and performance-based bonuses.

Certain groups of soldiers receive additional compensation, such as hazardous/hazard duty pay, hardship allowances, and combat duty pay, among other rewards.