DBM releases P1.03B for salaries of new cops

MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang has released P1.03 billion for the salaries of 6,451 new cops spread across the nation to improve police visibility, Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said on Monday.

Abad said in a statement that the release of the funds would support efforts to improve the policemen-to-population ratio and enhance the visibility of lawmen in critical and risky areas.

“The fund is meant to gradually address the hiring backlog that has been hounding the PNP over the years,” he said.

The latest release of funds to the Philippine National Police follows last August’s disbursement of P3.35 billion to address the deficiency in the salaries of PNP personnel.

Further, Abad said an additional 3,045 positions have not been filled up by the PNP, on top of the additional 3,000 new Police Officer 1 (PO1) positions under the agency’ budget for 2011.

The PNP is supposed to add 12,000 policemen to its roster in 2011.

Last August, the Department of Budget and Management also released P1.75 billion for the purchase of equipment under the PNP modernization program.

Abad said that the earlier fund was meant for the procurement of some 11,000 units of brand-new guns to address firearms lack in the PNP; 750 units of digital base, mobile and handheld radio to provide a faster means of communication; and police vehicles.

“With these releases, we may expect improvement and development in the capabilities of our policemen nationwide in fighting the criminals and in responding to crises,” the budget chief said.

The P1.75 billion was charged against the PNP’s P2-billion budget for capability enhancement sub-program, which has been part of the five-year modernization program that ends in 2012.

In particular, the PNP’s goal is to enhance its capacity for the intelligence and investigative activities, management of civil disturbance, and data management.

Abad said that in the proposed national budget for 2012, the PNP has been allotted P57.7 billion and would be allowed to hire another batch of 3,000 policemen.