Back on Monday, when our dearest President Rodrigo Duterte admitted that the funds that the Philippine government has to support the poor will not be enough, several people vowed and pledged some of their salaries (a part of it) to donate to the government.
President Duterte said that he's donating his one-month worth of salary to the government. Several members of the Cabinet said that they will be donating 75 percent of their salaries; and other people, too.
Read: President Duterte Promises to Help the Middle Class, Too
Along with that, the battle for COVID-19 is still ongoing. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced that they plan on raising up to a total of P17 million to help against the COVID-19 war. PH military personnel will donate part of their salaries; how good is that?
Military personnel will donate part of their salaries
According to the AFP, they'll look forward to raising at least P17 million. This would be taken out from the payroll of all military members and these will be donated to the COVID-19 fight. Furthermore, the amount that they will get from the AFP would directly go to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
These will be used to produce medical supplies and equipment for hospitals and testing facilities. With this, the process of eliminating the virus from our lives would be entering its early stages. As per their statement back on the 7th of April 2020, everyone in the AFP from the lowest ranking of soldiers, to the highest levels of general will be contributing a portion of their salaries for May.
Read: The Luzon Lockdown Extended Until April 30th
In addition to that, the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Cadets will also help by putting a portion of their allowances and salaries.
Brigade General Edgard Arevalo said that they have considered President Duterte's address about the funds not being enough as a candid admission. So, they'll be working to help fight the virus using their own ways.
The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) leadership heard the Commander-in-Chief’s candid admission in a televised address to the nation that government will not have sufficient funds to deal completely with the massive impacts of COVID-19. Since their salaries for the month of April are already out for payment, the donation—deductible from their Base Pays for the month of May— will be available by the 3rd week of April."
Read: Cabinet Members Give 75 Percent of Their Salaries to Help in the COVID-19 PH Government Efforts
Augment resources
Now that the military personnel will donate part of their salaries, it's clear that its main purpose is to hasten the process of exterminating the virus. AFP Chief General Felimon Santos Jr., said that hopefully, the amount they can raise is enough to cover up the lack of funds for some resources.
With this amount drawn from our individual base pays for a month, we hope to augment scarce government resources. Through this humble gesture of AFP solidarity and unwavering support to the government it is sworn to protect and defend, we aim to share the burden in the nation’s fight against the contagion."
Read: There Are Not Enough Gov’t Funds to Fight Against COVID-19, Duterte
The AFP Chief General mentioned that he himself will be donating; in fact, he will donate seven (7) percent of his salary which amounts to P10, 484.00. On the contrary, the lowest ranking soldiers like the ranks of airman, apprentice, or private will donate at least P100.00 from their monthly pays.
As what the President has said during his televised speech, he called on to our fellow Filipinos who are not experiencing any problems to support those who need it the most. By doing so, we can focus more on exercising ways to beat the virus in the country.
The military responded in such a way that no one ever expected; they're donating to fight and to hopefully win the COVID-19 war.
Military frontliners
Even if they're frontliners, they understand that the country is in dire need of support and assistance. With the news that military personnel will donate part of their salaries, this hopefully is a wake up call from all of our countrymen who are well-in-life to help and to support our country in the crisis we are experiencing.
Read: Who Can Go For the Mass Testing on the 14th of April 2020?
Like all soldiers and policemen all around the globe, the AFP has been assisting the country in taking on the role of frontliners. They're the ones that are in the deepest dangers because they;re out and exposed.
What do you think of their gesture of donating a portion of their salaries? We can't express the gratitude of their action and hopefully, the war would soon come to an end.
Source/s: CNN Philippines | The Philippine Daily Inquirer
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