War veterans’ kin thank president for pension hike

Survivors of World War 2 thanked President Rodrigo Duterte for raising their pension ahead of the 77th annual commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valour) yesterday.
One of them, 97-year-old Onofre Bugay of Samal town, lauded the president for increasing the pension from P6,700 to P20,000 a month, starting January this year.
In Samal town with 14 villages, Bugay said only six remaining World War II veterans were enjoying higher pension.
Surviving spouses, however, are receiving only P5,000 a month.
Luz Bugay, wife of Onofre, said the widows have long wanted an increase in their pension. Luz said there were about 24 surviving spouses, “already weak and senile.”
Aida Siasat, also of Samal, became a widow when her husband Luis died on March 7, 2016 at 92.
Siasat said the surviving spouses badly need the increase for their maintenance medicines.
Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, military spokesman, said the country marks Day of Valour to honour and remember Filipinos who defended Bataan and Corregidor. “With their blood, sweat and tears, our veterans bequeathed to our generation the air of freedom we breathe, the atmosphere of peace we live and the democracy we enjoy,” he said in a statement.
He added that for all Filipino soldiers, everyday was a day of valour as they carry out their missions either in high seas or in jungles.
“From the desolate and isolated islets and features in the crevices of our territorial seas; to the lonely and distant posts in the hinterlands; to the densely populated urban jungles where we perform our mission without fanfare, everyday is Day of Valour,”
Arevalo said.