By Shan Kenshin Ecaldre
Bulatlat.com
LAGUNA — Labor and human rights groups slammed the Marcos Jr. administration for approving another round of salary and subsistence allowance increases for the military and uniformed personnel (MUP), saying the move widens the gap between the armed forces and millions of workers struggling to survive on stagnant wages.
Human rights alliance Karapatan said the decision reflects the government’s political priorities amid growing public discontent. “This is a stark display of the regime’s fascist priorities and political insecurity,” said Karapatan National Council member and former Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel. “The government continues to reward institutions long linked to serious human rights violations while workers are left behind.”
On December 3, Marcos Jr signed Executive Order 107, directing a base-pay hike for members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP). The increase will be rolled out in three tranches from 2026 to 2028.
Even at the lowest rank, a Philippine soldier earns around P29,668–P30,000 per month, with planned increases and higher daily allowances by 2026-2028. Ordinary workers barely make P13,200/month in Calabarzon or P15,290/month in NCR, half of a soldier’s pay.
The salary hike, set to be implemented over three years, comes as workers face rising prices of food, fuel, and basic services. The last major salary adjustment for government employees was in 2023, while minimum wage earners in the National Capital Region received only a P50 increase in July 2025. In many regions, wage hikes were either minimal or denied outright.
KMU Secretary General Mary Ann Castillo said the timing of the increase is “highly suspicious,” noting that it comes amid intensified public anger over corruption. “It is obvious that the administration is buying the loyalty of the police and military out of fear that they might abandon it as calls for ouster grow,” Castillo said.
She described the move as “a blatant insult” to ordinary workers whose demands for a living wage have long been ignored. “Even the modest P200 legislated wage increase was killed. But when it comes to the police and military, action is immediate, no hesitation,” she said.
Castillo added that the government’s priorities are clear. “The continued denial of a living wage is a crime against workers, worsened by the enrichment of corrupt officials and their protectors,” she said.
Teachers and civilian government employees also criticized the move. ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio questioned why educators remain underpaid while uniformed personnel continue to receive preferential treatment. He reiterated the demand for a P33,000 starting salary for entry-level government workers and a P50,000 starting salary for Teacher 1 positions.
“In relation to President Marcos’ announcement of salary increases over three years for uniformed personnel, we ask: what about our teachers?” Tinio said. “Teachers have long been struggling with inadequate pay. Even with recent increases, what they receive still falls short from what they need. Meanwhile, the military’s salaries have already been doubled, and now they are getting higher subsistence allowances and another round of salary increases.”
Karapatan said the widening disparity in compensation exposes the true character of the Marcos Jr. administration. “This is not about national security,” Manuel said. “This is about securing the loyalty of the military while millions of Filipinos sink deeper into poverty.”
Both Karapatan and KMU renewed their call for a P1,250 national minimum wage and a P36,000 entry-level salary for government employees, saying genuine development cannot be achieved while workers’ livelihoods remain neglected in favor of militarization. (RTS)
The post Workers decry Marcos Jr. pay hikes for security forces as wages remain frozen appeared first on Bulatlat.
From Bulatlat via This RSS Feed.