Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Debold Sinas ordered to give P50,000 cash aid to police officers who tested positive for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, a cop who was hospitalized in the line of duty would get financial assistance of P100,000.
In Central Visayas, over 600 police officers could avail themselves of the financial aid. Of the number, around 110 police officers were from the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
The CCPO has the highest number of police officers who tested positive for COVID-19 in Central Visayas in the middle of the year when the city was considered a hotspot. However, since October, not a single cop in the region has been infected with the virus.
Two of the four police officers in Cebu who died of respiratory disease were members of the CCPO.
According to Police Regional Office 7 Director Brig. General Albert Ignatius Ferro, Camp Crame’s move could boost the morale of the police force.
Ferro said 610 police officers in Central Visayas acquired the disease.
The police official told Superbalita Cebu that cash aid is a “very big help.”
Camp Crame also directed all regional police directors to visit their wounded or injured cops in the hospital, aside from providing the P100,000 in cash aid.
Cops with COVID-19 to get P50k cash aid – PNP chief
Meanwhile, Sinas also announced that the PNP’s year-end bonuses and cash gifts were already released.
“The PNP through the Finance Service has rolled out P7,988,196,040.32 to pay for the 2020 yearend bonuses and cash gifts of 215,571 PNP personnel who are qualified to receive this mandated financial windfall that is now credited to their individual ATM payroll account with Land Bank of the Philippines,” Sinas said in a statement late Monday, Nov. 23.
The PNP chief said the bonuses for those facing administrative charges and serving suspension were withheld.
Sinas also earlier announced that he considers appointing more female cops as field commanders and regional and district directors.
“I am leveling the playing field for placement of police commissioned officers to key positions by providing equal opportunities for women. In fact, we are empowering more women to take on command assignments that traditionally have been the domain of their male counterparts,” he said.
“Gender equality will be given premium, and due consideration for seniority, merit, and competence shall be strictly observed,” he added.