JUNE 21, 2011

NR # 2442B

House passes bill upgrading benefits for veterans and dependents

The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a measure upgrading the benefits of military veterans and their dependents. Rep. Herminia Roman (1st District, Bataan), one of the authors of House Bill 3697, said the bill seeks to delete Section 5 of Republic Act 7696, which mandates the payment of the Total Administrative Disability (TAD) pension to veterans who have reached 70 years old. Under the law, 70 year old veterans are already considered totally disabled and are entitled to a monthly pension of P1,700 plus P500 for the spouse and each unmarried minor child. The bill seeks to amend Republic Act 6948 also known as "An Act Standardizing and Upgrading the Benefits for Military Veterans and their Dependents. RA 7696 is also known as An Act Amending Certain Sections of Republic Act 6948 otherwise known as "An Act Standardizing and Upgrading the Benefits for Military Veterans and Their Dependents. The bill will limit and prevent the further increase of obligation of the national government to Filipino veterans, Roman said. Roman said TAD remained unfunded for almost 16 years mainly because the executive department never included it in its annual budget submissions to Congress. Roman said as of December 2009, the unpaid obligations of the national government to the veterans have already reached P25.3 billion. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, Cagayan De Oro City), another author of the bill, said the measure will delete the provision under the present law that allows the payment of total administrative disability to veterans. This means that those who have been entitled to this benefit have acquired a vested right and it shall not be taken away by this bill. However, those who have not reached 70 years old upon its effectivity shall not anymore be entitled to this benefit, Rodriguez said. (30) lvc