Appeasing the military could not have come at a more appropriate time amid the budget and flood control scandals. Budget and Management Secretary Amenah Pangandaman has approved the release of P1.64 billion in performance-based bonuses for more than 110,000 Philippine Army personnel, which they had been seeking since 2023.

Each army officer and soldier will receive a bonus equivalent to 45.5 percent of their salary as of 31 December 2023. Those in the first, second, and third levels must have achieved at least a “very satisfactory” rating under the Civil Service Commission-approved Strategic Performance and Management System, or the system required by the Career Executive Service Board.

The funds will be credited to the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund under Republic Act 12116, the   2025 General Appropriations Act.

The DBM said the release signals the support of the Marcos administration for the welfare of government employees and “ensures that public funds are used transparently and responsibly to deliver due compensation.”        DT

Industrial land bank windfall 

Recently signed Republic Act 12252, or the Investors Lease Act, seeks to attract foreign investors looking for a long-term lease of private land, primarily for industrial estates, commercial operations, and tourism. 

The act extends the lease period for qualified foreign entities to 99 years (originally 50 years, renewable for 25 years), which is considered a boost for the property sector. 

The research arm of global investment bank Maybank underlined Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) is a major beneficiary with its sizable industrial land bank controlled by its majority-owned AyalaLand Logistics Holdings Corp. 

Robinsons Land Corp. also plans to more than double its existing industrial land bank. 

While all the countries in the region have some form of foreign land ownership restriction, depending on the purpose for the land use, Singapore and Malaysia are seen as the “gold standard” for their accommodative foreign land use policies and long-term land leases of up to 99 years, which the Investors Lease Act seeks to equalize.

Once the implementing rules and regulations are released, expected within 90 days, foreign investors can build long-term and large-scale assets for industrial and hospitality operations. 

Data from property consultant Colliers Philippines shows more than 1,300 hectares of new industrial land supply in Central and South Luzon in 2025-2029, which should provide ample space for investors to locate to those areas.