Marcos orders swift release of benefits to families of MUP killed, wounded in operations

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 29) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate release of benefits to families of soldiers and police officers killed or wounded in action.

Marcos led the awarding of benefits to select relatives of military and uniformed personnel in Davao City on Friday.

He said bereaved families deserve to receive medical, financial, education, livelihood, housing, and social welfare assistance from the government's Comprehensive Social Benefits Program (CSBP).

"Kung kaya naman, inaatasan ko ang mga kinauukulang ahensya na tiyakin ang maayos na implementasyon ng mga ito. Siguruhin ninyo na ang mga benepisyo ay mabilis na makakarating sa ating mga mamamayan," Marcos said.

[Translation: That's why I'm directing all concerned agencies to ensure the proper implementation of these. Make sure that the benefits would be immediately released to our countrymen.]

The CSBP was established to give aid to beneficiaries of fallen members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

According to Malacañang, the program covers military and police personnel killed or wounded in legitimate action or operation and their qualified beneficiaries, and uniformed personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), members of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), and CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) Units of the AFP.

The Palace said the program has so far issued over ₱777 million worth of aid to beneficiaries since 2017.