Bill to raise military disability pension

A SENATOR has refiled a bill that seeks to raise the military’s disability pension to as high as P10,000 from P1,700 a month.

“Since expenses currently being incurred are so high, their meager pension that was increased almost three decades ago is no longer meaningful,” Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, who heads the Senate committee on national defense and security said in a statement in Filipino on Sunday.

“What will a pension of P1,100 to P1,700 amount to in this day and age?”

Under Senate Bill 683, the base rate given to eligible veterans will be increased to P4,500 to P10,000 monthly depending on the disability.

Veterans eligible for the pension include those disabled by sickness, disease, wounds or injuries sustained in the line of duty.

“It is the intention of this measure to support our veterans by increasing the disability pension to cover, among others, medical and hospitalization expenses, the economic and social ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the increase in the prices of oil, food and other consumer goods,” Mr. Estrada said.

The budged will initially come from the Philippine Veterans Office and later through the General Appropriations Act. — Alyssa Nicole O. Tan