MUPs to get 5% hike in base pay, allowances

MANILA, Philippines — The Marcos administration is opening its purse wider for the men and women in uniform next year, pairing a base pay increase with P350 daily subsistence allowances, as well as beefing up budget allocations for the military and police under the 2027 national budget.

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said more than 583,000 military and uniformed personnel (MUPs) are set to receive a five percent increase in base pay in 2027.

Acting Budget Secretary Kim Robert de Leon said the salary hike is part of the second tranche of adjusted base pay under Executive Order 107, which takes effect on Jan. 1, 2027. It was issued in December 2025.

The salary adjustment is being implemented in three tranches, beginning January 2026, followed by the second tranche in 2027 and the third in 2028.
For the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), P74.92 billion is required for adjusted base pay, while P100.55 billion is provided for the Philippine National Police (PNP).

“For our total of 583,000 MUPs, P73.67 billion has been allocated specifically for the increased subsistence allowance for our MUPs, on top of the five percent increase in base pay that they can expect next year,” de Leon added.

For 2027, the executive branch is proposing P73.67 billion for the subsistence requirement of more than 583,000 personnel. Of this amount, P30.71 billion is proposed for 246,844 AFP personnel.

Bigger budgets

The pay adjustment comes alongside higher spending on military and police operations, modernization and manpower.

The AFP is proposed to receive P316.71 billion in 2027, 6.9 percent higher than its 2026 budget. Of this, P50 billion is earmarked for the Revised AFP Modernization Program, up from P40 billion this year.

The DBM said the government is pursuing personnel welfare and modernization as complementary parts of the same defense strategy.
“Modern equipment is essential amid evolving security challenges, but so are well-trained, properly compensated and adequately supported personnel who will operate these capabilities,” it added.

De Leon said the government is likewise increasing resources for AFP Personnel Services, Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) and capital outlays to strengthen the capability of troops to fulfill their mission and defend the country’s sovereignty.

On the other hand, the PNP is also set to receive a larger allocation, with its proposed 2027 budget rising to P242.53 billion from P226.55 billion this year.

About P210.55 billion of the proposed allocation will go to personnel services, including the P100.55-billion funding for adjusted base pay and P28.67 billion for the P350 daily subsistence allowance of 224,421 PNP personnel.

The government is also setting aside P697.18 million for the hiring of 2,000 additional patrolmen and patrolwomen, while P2.19 billion is proposed for filling currently unfilled uniformed positions.
The proposed budget also provides P1.74 billion for rice subsidy, P280.67 million for hospitalization and health care of police personnel and their dependents and P125.11 million for the Bantay Kaisipan Health Program.

For police operations and equipment, the government is proposing P2 billion for the PNP Capability Enhancement Program, which covers mobility, communications, firepower and anti-terrorism equipment.

Another P3.12 billion is earmarked for information and communications technology, while P1.5 billion is proposed for infrastructure projects.