Senate okays bill assuring continued support to soldiers’ mentally-ill children

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 1): Senate okays bill assuring continued support to soldiers’ mentally-ill children  

The Senate approved on third and final reading on Monday a bill exempting military personnel’s surviving children who are mentally incapacitated from termination of benefits upon reaching the age of 21.

The senators voted 15-0 to pass House Bill No. 772 or the proposed AFP Derivative Retirement Pension for Children/Survivors Act which was sponsored by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

Trillanes said the military personnel with surviving mentally incapacitated children would have “regular and continuous financial support due to their condition and their incapacity to be employed and to fend for themselves.”

Trillanes, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, stressed the importance of the national government’s support for soldiers’ sacrifices for the country.

“The hazards involved in the performance of their duties should not put the welfare of their families in jeopardy, in the event that something unfortunate happens to them,” Trillanes said.

He said House Bill No. 772 aims to amend Section 25 of Presidential Decree No. 1638 or the AFP Military Personnel Retirement and Separation Decree of 1979 so surviving mentally incapacitated children of military personnel would be certified by the AFP Medical Board to be “incapable of employment.”

“Passing this measure is the least we can do to recognize the sacrifices of our heroes in order to repay them and their families for their unwavering fidelity and their life of service to the country,” Trillanes said.

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