LINGAYEN, Pangasinan—Pensions for veterans of World War II, currently at P5,000 a month, will be increased to P20,000 with the approval of a bill to be filed shortly in the House of Representatives during the 16th Congress.
The legislative measure to be introduced by Rep. Leopoldo N. Bataoil of the Second District of Pangasinan, who chairs the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Welfare, also seeks to provide free healthcare services to guerilla soldiers who fought against the Japanese invaders from 1942 to 1945.
Bataoil bared the pension-hike measure during the recent celebration of the 73rd Lingayen Gulf Landing and 11th Pangasinan Veterans Day when he was guest of honor and speaker. Some 200 veterans on wheelchairs were among the crowd of 2,000 veterans who attended the event.
He said, once approved into law, the bill will compensate for the various needs of the elderly heroes now in their sunset years.
Bataoil also announced a parallel bill he will file to seek the construction of a Veterans Medical Center in the provinces to spare the veterans from the burden of traveling to Metro Manila to be treated at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Quezon City.
Health-care benefits under the bill will also be extended to dependents of veterans.
The Pangasinan Veterans Rep. Amado T. Espino Jr. of the Fifth District of Pangasinan to coincide with the Lingayen Gulf Landings celebration, began with a wreath-laying ceremony and a 21-gun salute honoring the veterans.
Last year Gov. Amado Espino III offered livelihood and educational assistance to the veterans’ families, in addition to the free hospitalization in provincial government hospitals.