PNP launches drive to raise at least P200m to help in gov’t fight vs COVID-19

April 14, 2020

The chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday said they launched “Bayanihan Fund Challenge” which aims to raise over P200 million to help in the government’s effort in curbing the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“The Bayanihan Fund Challenge is strictly voluntary with no standard amount of contribution specified. The project does not authorize automatic salary deduction or the use of funds sourced from PNP appropriations,” said Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa in a video message.

Gamboa said this move is the voluntary contribution of PNP personnel in response to President Rodrigo Duterte’s candid admission of “government’s extreme difficulty in providing the basic needs of the poorest of the poor in a prolonged crisis”.

“We feel really blessed to be rewarded with all these benefits. We can only be too grateful to give back by way of our dedicated service and expression of compassion in reaching out to the poorest of poor who are hardest hit by the socio-economic impact of this crisis,” he said.

Gamboa said the fund-raiser challenge is now snowballing among the 205,000-strong national police organization that aims to generate some P200 million to augment government funds for Social Amelioration Programs for Filipinos in the marginalized sectors.

“We can afford to do this--now that we have already secured the means for our own personnel,” Gamboa said.

According to PNP’s fund administrator, P34 million in cash and pledges have been pledged and collected from star rank or top echelon officers and their staff whose number only comprised 20 percent of the total PNP strength.

“Men and women of the PNP, I know that individually, we have more than enough to spare for our government and our people in their direst need. I believe this is not too much our country can ask from us and to which we are willing to give,” Gamboa said.

“More than our services, this is our golden opportunity to selflessly share, provide social and moral support and economic relief to our fellow Filipinos who belong to the poorest of the poor,” he added.

The PNP chief also invited rank groups, sectors, associations, classes, and organizations within the PNP to participate in the “Bayanihan Fund Challenge”.

“As a show of our belief and commitment to this noble challenge, leaders in the Command Group and Directorial Staff, Police Regional Offices, National Support Units and all star-rank officers, have committed not 1,000, not 2,000 pesos each but 50% of our basic pay for the month of May,” he said.

“I request all Regional Directors and National Support Unit Directors to lead this challenge project in their respective AORs. Together we should defeat COVID and we should heal as one because the stakes are high and patriots are now called upon to save not just this generation but also the generations to come,” he added.

The PNP's Directorate for Comptrollership  is primarily responsible  for the project. It  will craft the implementing plan that will establish a scheme for the turnover of collected funds to the National Treasury or appropriate government agency to ensure transparency and accountability.

The PNP Directorate for Police Community Relations will assist the Directorate forComptrollership in communicating the project to the lower units and create an internet platform for real-time monitoring of the status of contributions. Ella Dionisio/DMS