Res Gestae
Police overtime pay is a global issue
And who think it is not? Most countries, if not all, around the globe are faced with issues involving overtime pays of their police. The issue commonly, if not always, relates to its impact on budget appropriation of the government. But, in this country, such an issue is among the least, nay never, of its concerns.
Here in the Philippines talking of police overtime pay is a boring topic. It is not because the subject is moot and academic. Rather, it is simply 'unrealistic', as it seems for most Filipinos, nay police personnel.
The reason is not difficult to discern. The country's economy is plummeting down the drain and the subject will only make legislator/s unpopular in Congress. After all, why would the congressmen think of the welfare of the police force when millions of unemployed and underemployed Filipinos are starving to near death?
The considerations, however, do not deal with the issue head on. If poverty is a problem, doesn't anyone of us think the peace and order is? Many would agree that poverty and the peace and order status of the country are two faces of a coin. One can't effectively address the problem on poverty without effectively addressing the problem on peace and order.
A peaceful and orderly country attracts investors. Investors create jobs. And jobs respond to the needs of the people for good living.
I am pounding on this relationship of poverty and peace and order because the issue of police overtime pay is an issue relative to peace and order situation. This, I am reminded of an article that says, 'better pay for officers is about better policing.'
The public lament the corrupt practices of law enforcers. They abhor police officers who are involved in illegal drugs, extortions, illegal gambling, robberies, kidnap-for-ransom, etc. But, they never dare to close their eyes for a second and think of the causes that pushed these law enforcers into becoming law breakers.
Of course, generalization does not apply here. Not all police officers who turned against the law have noble causes. Some of them were really criminals by instinct and choice, not by mere circumstances. Hence, our concern must be for police personnel who have been victims of circumstances, over which our legislators have power to control.
Should there be a law mandating the grant and strict enforcement of overtime pay for police personnel, possibility of them to engage in extra income-generating activities, legitimate or otherwise, would have been avoided and discouraged.
This, the number of police 'scalawags' could have been trimmed down should somebody, especially among our legislators, pay attention to the need vis-à-vis the welfare of the police force. Important example is the issue at hand. As I said, overtime pay for services of the police personnel rendered outside their tour of duty is one thing that skips the attention of our law makers.
Well, there is actually an existing guideline on granting overtime pay for members of the Philippine National Police. However, the contention of National Police Commission Memorandum Circular 2000-002 is not practical, nay futile. It is so because the granting of overtime pay is left in the discretion and appreciation of the Chief of the Philippine National Police. The said benefit is not established as a matter of privilege accorded with by law.
Considering that issue on police overtime pay is disturbing law makers and government leaders in other parts of the globe, I am just wondering why such an issue has been accorded with little importance here.
Well, as I reflect on the subject, there seems to be no answer at hand. What all I can assume as the nearest answer is the indoctrination that ours is a police force who values 'service beyond the call of duty' more than the pay slips of its members.
REMINDER: "Mamang Pulis / Aleng Pulis, serbisyo sa bayan ay panatilihing labis-labis at walang kulang."
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