(GMA NEWS) The Senate of the Philippines on Monday approved on third and final reading the measure increasing the pension of military veterans who have been rendered disabled owing to sickness, disease, wounds, or injuries sustained in the line of duty.
Under the proposed law, the disability rate will be raised from the current P1,000 to P4,500.
Veterans who receive a monthly disability pension of P1,200; P1,300; P1,400; P1,500; and P1,600 will be raised to P6,100; P6,900; P7,700; P8,500, and P9,300, respectively.
Meanwhile, those who are currently receiving P1,700, the highest disability rate, will be receiving P10,000 or an increase of 488 percent.
It likewise raises the monthly pension for the spouse and each unmarried minor child of veterans from P500 to P1,000.
Senate Bill 1480 or the proposed Rationalizing the Disability Pension of Veterans Act garnered 21 affirmative votes, zero negative votes, and no abstention.
“I truly feel that this measure is long overdue. Our veterans who sustained disabilities and injury in the line of duty have long waited for this legislation to update their monthly disability pension rates which have remained unchanged for 29 years,” said Senator Jinggoy Estrada, principal author and sponsor of the bill.
“This legislation is one way of honoring our military and war veterans who served and defended the country in their prime and ensuring that in their twilight years, they and their families are accorded adequate benefits and assistance,” he added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News