THE Marcos administration has allocated P4.06 billion to fund the more than 10,000 new posts for military and other uniformed personnel, and to cover the first tranche of the base pay hikes worth P21.7 billion. In a press conference in Malacañang, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said this is to ensure the needs of the uniformed ranks are met.“As part of the government’s measures for the continuous advancement of the welfare of soldiers, police officers and uniformed personnel, the government has allocated up to P4.06 billion for an additional 10,077 military and uniformed positions (MUPs) in various government agencies for the year 2026,” Castro said in Filipino.“The salary increase and subsistence allowance increase of our MUP will also continue,” she added, saying this is in recognition of their efforts to ensure peace and order, and the safety of all citizens.Under the 2026 General Appropriations Act, the P4.06-billion funding would be for the additional 10,077 positions spread across the following: 1,358 for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); 2,000 for the Philippine National Police; 2,000 each for the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology; 1,000 for the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor); and 1,790 for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).Acting Budget Secretary Rolando Toledo, in the same briefing, said this is one of the clear proofs of the present leadership’s support for the uniformed ranks.“We know your sacrifice. We know that there is no time-out for the danger that while the country sleeps, you are the ones who are awake; while the country is safe, you are the ones who are at the forefront of danger. That is why the message of the fiscal year 2026 national budget is clear — we see you, we hear you and we will never forget or abandon you,” Toledo said.President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last December ordered the increase of the base pay of MUPs in recognition of their bravery and unwavering dedication to protecting the country and people.Through Executive Order 107 issued on Dec. 3, 2025, the chief executive updated the base pay schedule and increased the subsistence allowance for all military personnel under the Department of National Defense and uniformed personnel under the Department of the Interior and Local Government, PCG, BuCor, and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority.The first tranche was implemented on Jan. 1, while the next tranches would be on Jan. 1, 2027 and Jan. 1, 2028.The increase in the subsistence allowance of all MUP from P150 to P350 per day also took effect at the start of the year.The AFP’s subsistence allowance was last adjusted in 2015 pursuant to Congress Joint Resolution 5 (s. 2015).“We know that the increase in the subsistence allowance of our MUPs is not a luxury, not a favor, but a profound recognition — a recognition that courage must be accompanied by sufficient physical strength and a recognition that those who guard the nation must have sufficient food and nutrition every day,” Toledo said.