World War II veterans, including guerrillas from the Cordillera who helped capture Japanese military Gen. Tomoyuki Yamashita, are honored during the celebration of Victory Day in Baguio City in 2019. (File photo by VINCENT CABREZA / Inquirer Northern Luzon)
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives has approved on final reading a bill increasing the disability pensions of military veterans and their dependents.
On Monday, 268 representatives voted to pass House Bill No. 7939, or the measure rationalizing the disability pension for veterans.
The bill will amend Republic Act No. 6948 as amended by RA 7696, which standardized and upgraded the benefits for military veterans and their dependents.
Speaker Martin Romualdez noted that the disability pensions provided in present laws “do not respond to the demands of the times and are insufficient to provide for the needs of our veterans or their dependents.”
“To recognize the sacrifices of our veterans, we have approved in the House a measure that rationalizes the rates of pensions for them and their dependents, according to what the present time calls for,” Romualdez said.
Under HB 7939, a veteran who is disabled owing to sickness, disease, wounds, or other injuries sustained in the line of duty will be given a monthly disability pension in accordance with prescribed rates.