(THE MANILA TIMES) VOTING 21-0-0, the Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading Senate Bill (SB) 1480 that proposes a 350 percent to 488 percent increase in the disability pension of veterans.
SB 1480 aims to rationalize the disability pension of veterans who were rendered disabled due to disease or injuries sustained in the line of duty.
“I truly feel that this measure is long overdue,” said Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security and principal author of SB 1480.
Under the measure, the disability base rate will be raised to P4,500 from P1,000, or an increase of 350 percent.
Those receiving a monthly disability pension of P1,200; P1,300; P1,400; P1,500; and P1,600 will be adjusted to P6,100; P6,900; P7,700; P8,500, and P9,300, respectively.
Those receiving P1,700 will get P10,000 or an increase of P8,300.
The P500 monthly pension for the spouse and each unmarried minor child will be adjusted to P1,000.
“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,” Estrada said.
SB 1480 amends Republic Act 6948 or the Act Standardizing and Upgrading the Benefits for Military Veterans and their Beneficiaries.