BAGUIO CITY -- The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) is fervently wishing that Senate Bill No. 1766, which seeks to raise war veterans' monthly pension from the present PHP5,000 to PHP20,000, would be approved by Christmas.
The higher pension would benefit the surviving 6,000-plus World War II veterans, who are now in their twilight years, PVAO Administrator and Defense Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in an interview here on Monday.
“We anticipate na ma-approve ito before mag Pasko. Napakagandang pamasko nito para sa ating mga beterano,” Carolina said on the sidelines of the commemoration of the Japanese Imperial Army's surrender 73 years ago on Sept. 3, 1945. "It passed the House (of Representatives) already. Senate Bill 1766 has been approved by the committee. We are just waiting for its approval when it is discussed in the plenary.”
Carolina said the Department of Budget and Management had given its go signal for the PHP880-million budget needed to fund the increase.
He said the measure must be approved soon, as the aged war veterans who had bravely fought for the country's liberty are passing away.
He said from more than 350,000 soldiers during the second World War, there are now only about 6,000 veterans nationwide who are alive. Their average age is 92, with 107 years old as the oldest.
“There is an average of 300 World War II veterans passing away every day,” the retired military leader lamented. "We are estimating that in five years' time, wala nang matitira sa kanila (they will all be gone). Kaya inaapura natin na maibigay lahat yung mga benepisyo nila. We hope ma-approve ng Presidente yan bago magtapos ang taon para sa World War II veterans. (That's why we're hurrying to give them their benefits. We hope the President will approve it before the year ends for the World War II veterans)."
Carolina said because of the declining number of war veterans due to old age, PVAO is now even prioritizing the veterans' pension hike over those of the retirees of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
"Yung AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) retirees, saka na lang sila. World War II retirees, inaapura na kasi sabi nga ng mga beterano natin nasa departure area na sila (Those for the AFP retirees can come later. We are rushing those for the World War II retirees because as they say, they're already on the 'departure area')," Carolina said.
Once approved, the PHP15,000 additional monthly pension will apply for the surviving veterans. The spouses of the veterans, who had passed away, will still receive PHP5,000 monthly, Carolina said.
"Nananawagan tayo sa Congress na ibigay na ito. Matagal na ito, 15th Congress pa, and itong mga naiiwang buhay na sana dinggin ang katok nila at ibigay na itong nararapat na ibigay sa kanila (We are pleading to Congress to finally give it. It's been a long time -- since the 15th Congress -- and we hope that they finally heed the plea of those still surviving, who are knocking at their doors to get what is due them)," the PVAO chief urged.
Pension arrears
Carolina also said that under the present administration, the arrears in the pension of the veterans have been settled, including the disability pension.
He explained, “Medyo napabayaan noong araw, nagkaroon ng arrears. May mga batas na nagbigay ng benepisyo sa kanila katulad noong 1994 pa na disability pension na hindi naibigay. Naihabol naman natin. Naibigay natin arrears, mga utang sa mga beterano. Yung mga namatay na, nabayaran natin, naibigay sa mga asawa nila (They’ve been set aside in the past, there were arrears. The benefits that had accrued to them since a 1994 law have been finally given to them. The unpaid benefits for those who had died were given to their spouses.”)
Health Fund
Since the war veterans are now aging, their problems on hospitalization and medication are being addressed, Carolina said.
They need not go to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) for hospitalization anymore, he pointed out.
"They can be confined in any PhilHealth-accredited hospital anywhere in the country and the VMMC will pay," he said. “Ginawa natin ang programang ito para dun sa mga nasa probinsiya -- Luzon, Visayas at Mindanao (We came up with this program for those in the provinces -- Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao).”
The plan, he explained, was to come up with VMMC branches nationwide, but while there's none, the veterans can seek medical attention in any hospital.
He added that the President's social fund has been supporting improvements at the VMMC.
“Number one on the list of the President’s social fund is medicines for the veterans, soldiers, and for the hospital's improvement. He also gave money to assure continued fund for medicines and increased the budget of the PVAO’s fund for veterans’ hospitalization and medical care program,” Carolina cited.
For this year alone, he said PHP100 million have been allotted from the social fund for the veterans' hospitalization and medical care program.
He said PVAO is expecting the amount to increase to PHP150 million in 2019, until it reaches PHP300 million by 2022, before Duterte finishes his term. (PNA)
