MANILA - Police officers across all ranks will enjoy higher monthly base pay beginning this month after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Joint Resolution No. 1 authorizing the salary hike for the country's uniformed personnel.

With the new monthly base pay, a Police Officer 1 (PO1) will now receive P29,668, a 100 percent increase from the previous P14, 834 monthly basic pay.

The Philippine National Police chief, who is ranked Director General, will now receive P121,143 from P67,500, or a 79 percent increase.

The increase is not 100 percent for all ranks but declines as the position goes higher, as government prioritized low-ranking officers amid budget constraints.

The average pay hike for the police across all ranks is 58.7 percent.

With the approval and implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), PNP uniformed personnel will also enjoy lower income tax rates. @ABSCBNNews @ANCALERTS pic.twitter.com/32mfT5Bdma

— Maan Macapagal (@maan_macapagal) January 11, 2018

While provisional and officers' allowances have been removed, uniformed personnel will still enjoy increases in other allowances, among them the longevity pay, flying pay, sea duty pay, and instructor's duty pay.

The increase in salary means that PNP personnel will also enjoy higher benefits upon retirement, said Chief Supt. Joselito Vera Cruz, executive officer of the PNP Directorate for Comptrollership.

The PNP is hopeful that the new salary increase will stop, if not minimize, police involvement in illegal activities, especially low-ranking police officers.

"Dapat sa ating mga kapulisan, suklian natin ang ganitong ipinapakita sa atin na concern ng ating presidente at ng 2
kapulungan ng Kongreso. Dapat pag-ibayuhin pa natin ang maayos na pagtatrabaho," said Vera Cruz.

He also reminded police officers to take advantage of the PNP's savings and loans association to invest their money.

PNP Spokesperson Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos said with this reform, they hope the police would learn to save money and not fall prey to loan sharks.

"'Yung effect is long term dahil 'yung base pay ang lumaki. 'Yung mga allowances na nawala mas malaki pa rin 'yung matatanggap ng ating pulis. 'Yung may mas malaking take-home pay, sabi nga po ni Gen. Vera Cruz, iwasan ho natin mangutang, mag-loan, gamitin ho natin 'yung ating financial literacy para mas maganda 'yung ating buhay," he told reporters.

The Department of Interior and Local Government will roll out the modified base pay schedule for police officers within two years.

• Cops, soldiers, other uniformed personnel to begin receiving doubled pay