More than 6,000 Filipino war veterans will receive a P20,000 monthly pension, up from P5,000, if a bill increasing to 300% their old-age pension is signed into law.
Senate Bill 1766, which aims to increase the monthly pension of war veterans, was transmitted directly to Malacanang on November 26 for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature after the House of Representatives adopted the Senate version on November 13.
Filipino veterans who fought during World War II, as well as in the Korean and Vietnam wars, will benefit from the measure.
“Recognising the urgency of the said measure, we believe that the president will sign it into law,” said Sen.
Gregorio Honasan, principal author and sponsor of SB 1766.
“It will lapse into law after 30 days (from November 26) if the president fails to act on it,” said Honasan, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security.
He added: “The challenge is to institutionalise this to the point that it’s almost engraved in the stone, that whoever is the president, whoever sits in Congress, will make sure that our veterans will live forever in the memory of this nation.”
Honasan, a retired Army officer and a member of Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class of 1971, said the government needs P887.94mn to grant the increase. “The House (of Representatives), even if they first started this (piece of legislation), decided to adopt the amendments of the Senate, practically adopting the Senate version,” said Honasan, whose term of office is set to expire in June 2019.
The higher benefit, however, is not transferable to any member of their family or dependents. In the event of death of the war veteran, the pension of the surviving spouse will remain at P5,000 a month.
File photo of Filipino war veterans.
