Solon lauds new law that quadruples pension of war veterans

By Erwin Beleo 

AGOO, La Union – La Union Second District Representative Sandra Y. Eriguel said the enactment of the law quadrupling the monthly pension of senior war veterans from P5,000 to P20,000 will support Filipino heroes in their old age and boost the morale of the country’s soldiers.

(EPA / MANILA BULLETIN)

Eriguel expressed her appreciation for President Rodrigo Duterte’s signing of Republic Act No. 11164 on December 20, 2018 that increased the monthly old-age pension of Filipino veterans who fought in World War II, Korean and Vietnam wars.

“This will support our heroes who need medical and financial assistance in their old age. This will also boost the morale of our Filipino soldiers, knowing that the government is ready to assist them during their retirement,” said Eriguel, who is a co-author of the House version of the law which was approved by the House in July 2018.

The law effectively increased the monthly pension of war veterans by 300 percent beginning 2019. Section 2 of the law provides that the old-age pension of veterans of World War II, Korean and Vietnam wars will be increased to P20,000 a month, provided that the veterans of Korean and Vietnam wars are not receiving pension from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The entitlement to the increase in old-age pension will be limited to the eligible living senior veterans and are not transferable to any family members and or dependents of the senior veterans.

The law states that the fund for the first year of its implementation will come from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office. Congress will then allocate a fund in the General Appropriations Act for the law’s implementation in the succeeding years.

Eriguel said the institutionalization of the age-old pension for Filipino veterans is the country’s way of honoring their heroic deeds in defending Filipino sovereignty.