PVAO hoping 17th Congress will prioritize bills pushing for veterans' pension hike, creation of real veterans agency

From the Philippine News Agency (Aug 11): PVAO hoping 17th Congress will prioritize bills pushing for veterans' pension hike, creation of real veterans agency

The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) is hoping that the 17th Congress will prioritize the passage of bills mandating the increase of old age pensions of Filipino veterans and the creation of an agency dedicated to their well-being.

PVAO, in a statement Thursday, noted that it is more than two decades already since Republic Act 7696 was enacted and mandated the increase of old age pension (OAP) from PHP1,000 to the PHP5,000.

"Hence, the veterans have been really clamoring for the government to finally increase their old age pension," PVAO administrator Ernesto Carolina said.

The following bills are filed for the increase in OAP:

1. House Bill No. 270 – An Act Increasing the Monthly Pension of Senior Veterans Thereby Amending Republic Act 6948, As Amended (filed by Cong. Geraldine Roman)

-This seeks to increase to PHP20,000 the OAP of senior veterans (World War II veterans and Korean/Vietnam war veterans who are not receiving retirement pension from the AFP.

2. Senate Bill No. 246 – An Act Providing for a Three Thousand Peso (PHP3,000) Increase in the Monthly Pension of War Veterans and Their Dependents, Appropriating Funds Thereof and for Other Purposes (filed by Sen. Loren Legarda)

-This bill seeks to increase the monthly pension of all Filipino War Veterans across the board by PHP3,000.

The monthly pension shall be granted directly to the war veterans as long as he/she is still alive. Upon the death of the war veteran, the surviving spouse shall continue to receive the pension.

3. Senate Bill No. 97 — An Act to Increase the Old-Age Pension of Military Veterans Amending for the Purpose Section 10 of Republic Act 6948 (filed by Sen. Sonny F. Trillanes IV)

-This bill seeks to increase the monthly Old Age Pension of Veterans from PHP5,000 to PHP8,000.

Seeing the need to have a dedicated agency that caters to the welfare and well-being of the veterans, PVAO is pushing for the creation of Philippine Veterans Authority that is separate from the Department of National Defense.

Carolina said PVAO is drawing inspiration from the fact that all developed countries have a separate agency on veterans’ administration.

As an example, the United States established its own Veterans Affairs (VA) system to oversee the medical care and other benefits for its veterans. Two same versions of this initiative are filed in both Senate and House of Representatives:

1. House Bill No. 109 – An Act Integrating All Agencies and Offices on Veterans Welfare, Creating for the Purpose the Philippine Veterans Authority (filed by Cong. Gary Alejano)

2. Senate Bill No. 529—An Act Integrating All Agencies and Offices on Veterans Welfare, Creating for the Purpose the Philippine Veterans Authority (filed by Sen. Antonio F. Trillanes).

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=912805