MANILA – The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill that seeks to increase the monthly pension of senior war veterans.
With 239 affirmative, zero negative and zero abstention, lawmakers voted to pass House Bill 7525, which raises the old-age pension of war veterans to P20,000 from P5,000.
The current pension – enacted almost 21 years ago – is “not enough for senior veterans to meet the basic necessities for decent living,” said Rep. Geraldine Roman, bill author.
The increase shall cover veterans of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, provided that the veterans of the latter two wars are not receiving pension from the Armed Forces.
“Our veterans have sacrificed much for our country,” said Roman. “[They] should, at the very least, be able to live out the rest of their days comfortably without worrying about their basic needs.”
But entitlement to the old-age pension raise shall be limited to eligible living senior veterans and shall not be transferable to any family member or dependent, the bill stated.
Funds needed for the initial implementation of the increase shall be charged against the current year’s available appropriations of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, said the bill./PN
