ILOILO City – Police officers on frontline duties during the enhanced community quarantine are getting P500 daily hazard pay.
The pay started Friday last week, April 17, according to Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, director of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
“The police frontliners are those manning the quarantine control points or checkpoints and those enforcing quarantine policies. Sila talaga ang pinaka-expose. Very hazardous. Baka mahawa sila. Iba’t-ibang tao ang nakasasalamuha nila araw-araw. They deserve hazard pay,” said Pamuspusan.
The hazard pay would be given until the quarantine is lifted.
In Camp Crame, the national headquarters of the Philippine National Police, PNP chief General Archie Gamboa said the hazard pay “should further boost the financial flexibility of our troops and their families apart from the full range of salary and allowances in April, sans any deduction for loan amortization for this month.”
“Another P5,000 windfall is also due for all PSMBFI (Public Safety Mutual Benefit Fund, Inc.) members as financial assistance to see them through this crisis,” added Gamboa.
He also assured the safety of the police manning quarantine control points by providing them with personal protective equipment (PPE).
Gamboa thanked all police officers for their unwavering support and sacrifices in performing their duty to uphold law enforcement as the country battles an “unseen enemy” – SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“As a member of the (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases), I am a witness to the hardships of our men and women in uniform who endure long hours at work in the field, away from the comforts of their home and family, and uncertain of the fate that awaits them at the frontline. But needless to say, each and every member of the police force knows by heart the reason why we need to pass this way – because it is a professional calling and a sworn responsibility to serve, bestowed upon us by the people,” said Gamboa.
For his part, Pamuspusan told his men to take care of themselves while carrying out their mandate which is to secure the public .
“Dapat ingatan natin ang ating katawan. Bawal magkasakit ngayon. But we have to be alert, too, of lawless elements who may take advantage of the current situation,” he said./PN
