The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said it had already released a total of P2.85 Billion to cover the one-month equivalent of the 2018 pension differential of retired military and uniformed personnel (MUP).
The initial release will benefit retired military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as well as the retired uniformed personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority NMRIA, which is under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
The 2018 Pension Differential released to the agencies include P1.516 billion for the AFP under the Department of National Defense; P1.207 billion, P91 million and P5.7 million for the PNP, BFP and BJMP, respectively, all under the Department of Interior and Local Government, P28 million for the PCG, which is under the Department of Transportation, and P0.612 for the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The total requirement to cover the 2018 pension differential of retired MUPs amounts to P34.20 billion. This leaves a balance of P31.35 billion, which is yet to be released subject to the availability of funds and in compliance with applicable rules and regulations.
The DBM will immediately evaluate and process all special budget requests after satisfying the requirements for the current regular pension and pension arrears as validated by the Commission on Audit.
The Pension and Gratuity Fund (PGF) was earlier significantly reduced to P152.9 billion from P172.9 billion when the General Appropriations Act was passed, affecting the release of the 2018 pension differential of retired MUPs. To ensure the continuous and up-to-date payment of pension, the DBM will continue to prioritize the release of current/regular pension requirements.
The DBM is committed to fulfill its mandate of promoting the efficient and effective management of the national budget to support its budget priorities while also ensuring that the needs of the Filipino people, especially of all MUPsl, are met.