Marcos increases subsistence allowance for AFP personnel

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PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order (EO) 84, increasing the daily subsistence allowance of military personnel from P150 to P350 per day, effective January 1, 2025. The order, made public on the official Facebook page of the Philippine Official Gazette, was issued on March 14, 2025.

It applies to all officers and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), including trainees, probationary officers, reservists, and cadets. The EO states “it is imperative to increase the subsistence allowance of all officers and enlisted personnel of the AFP to protect and promote their welfare, in recognition of their sacrifices and perseverance in defending and upholding the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.” The Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) recommended the increase, citing the need to ensure adequate daily sustenance for soldiers.



“The DND and DBM recommend increasing the subsistence allowance of all officers and enlisted personnel of the AFP,” reads a portion of the EO. The EO further states that “it has been observed that the current subsistence allowance of AFP personnel is no longer adequate to meet the daily sustenance needs of an active-duty soldier, which is essential for their well-being and performance of their duties.” The last adjustment to the subsistence allowance was made in 2015.

The subsistence allowance for officers and enlisted personnel of the AFP—including trainees, probationary second lieutenants/ensigns undergoing military training, citizen military training cadets on summer camp training, reserve officers and enlisted reservists undergoing training and assembly/mobilization tests, members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit, and cadets—is hereby increased from P150.00 to P350.00 per day.

Funding for the increase will be sourced from the General Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Republic Act 12116) and other funds identified by the DBM. (CDF).