Payment of Clothing Allowance to AFP Officers in Active Service

September 17, 1974

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 556

AUTHORIZING THE PAYMENT OF CLOTHING ALLOWANCE TO OFFICERS IN THE ACTIVE SERVICE OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES

WHEREAS, Section 90 of Commonwealth Act Number One, as amended, otherwise known as the National Defense Act, provides that the pay and allowances of officers and enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines shall be as prescribed in Executive Orders or subsequent legislations;

WHEREAS, by virtue of the provisions of said Section 90 of Commonwealth Act Number One, the monthly rates of pay and allowances for all military personnel in the Armed Forces of the Philippines have already been prescribed in appropriate laws, executive orders or decrees;

WHEREAS, the officers, among other bodies of military personnel on active duty, have not heretofore been authorized any clothing allowance, whether in kind or in case since the inception of the Armed Forces into the national defense effort of the country in 1935; cd

WHEREAS, due to the nature of their duties officers are expected to appear at all times in neat, clean and presentable uniform, the cost of which has gone up tremendously thereby greatly reducing their take home pay; cdt

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution as Commander-in-Chief of all the Armed Forces and pursuant to Proclamation Number 1081, dated September 21, 1972, Proclamation Number 1104, dated January 17, 1973 and General Order Number One, dated September 22, 1972, do hereby order, authorize and decree as part of the law of the land the granting of a basic clothing allowance of at least Three Hundred and Sixty Pesos (P360.00) annually, either in kind or in cash, as may be determined by the Chief of Staff, AFP and approved by the Secretary of National Defense, to each officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The amount of Four Million and Forty Thousand Pesos (P4,040,000) or so much thereof is hereby appropriated out of the National Treasury to carry out the provisions of this Decree, such amount to be programmed yearly thereafter in the appropriation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This Decree shall take effect on July 1, 1974.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 17th day of September, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Four.