Marcos to raise monthly gratuity for Medal of Valor awardees

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 21) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday said those who have been honored with the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) highest combat award can expect to receive a bigger lifetime monthly gratuity.

He made the announcement during the celebration of the AFP’s 88th founding anniversary, although he did not specify the increase or when this can be enjoyed by Medal of Valor (MOV) awardees.

“As recommended by the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, we are also going to adequately reward the existing Medal of Valor awardees [with] the increase of their lifetime monthly gratuity for displaying bravery and heroism in defending our freedom,” Marcos said during the event at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

This highlights the government’s commitment to support and honor military heroes, the president added.

In December 2016, former President Rodrigo Duterte signed a memorandum raising the monthly gratuity of MOV awardees to ₱70,000, from ₱20,000 provided under Republic Act (RA) No. 9049 which was signed in 2001.

The document on the implementing rules and regulations reflecting this increase was signed in July 2019.

RA 9049 states that the monthly gratuity aims to give due recognition to awardees' “supreme self-sacrifice and distinctive acts of heroism and gallantry” and “to encourage men and women to perform heroic deeds for their count