House of Representatives (PPAB)

With 268 affirmative votes and just one abstention, the House bill pursuing an increase in disability pensions for military veterans and their dependents has been approved on third and final reading.

Passed during plenary session Monday, May 22 was House Bill (HB) No. 7939 or “An Act Rationalizing the Disability Pension of Veterans,” which amends Republic Act (RA) No.6948 as amended by RA No.7696, or the laws that standardized and upgraded the benefits for military veterans and their dependents.

Deputy Speaker and Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Roberto Puno, the presiding officer, declared the bill's passage after nominal voting.

“The pensions provided for in the 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. They were enacted over 30 years ago, and the prevailing circumstances now are very much different from before,” said Speaker Martin Romualdez.

“So, 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,” he added.

RA No.6948 and RA No.7696 were enacted in 1990 and 1994, respectively. HB No.7939 seeks to increase the pensions mandated under these laws.

Section 5 of the bill states that: “A veteran who is disabled owing to sickness, disease, wounds or injuries sustained in the line of duty shall be given a monthly disability pension in accordance with the rates prescribed hereunder.”

The rates were adjusted as follows: from P1,000 to P4,500 if the disability is rated from 10 percent to 30 percent; from P1,100 to P5,300 if the disability is rated from 31 percent to 40 percent; from P1,200 to P6,100 if the disability is rated from 41 percent to 50 percent; from P1,300 to P6,900 if the disability is rated from 51 percent to 60 percent; from P1,400 to P7,700 if the disability is rated from 61 percent to 70 percent; from P1,500 to P8,500 if the disability is rated from 71 percent to 80 percent; from P1,600 to P9,300 if the disability is rated from 81 percent to 90 percent; from P1,700 to P10,000 if the disability is rated from 91 percent to 100 percent, with the addition of P1,000 for the spouse and each unmarried minor children from the previous rate of P500.

“The initial amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be charged against the Pension and Gratuity Fund. Thereafter, such sums as may be needed for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA),” the measure said.

Some authors of the bill are Reps. Roman Romulo, Robert Ace Barbers, Eleandro Madrona, Camille Villar, Manuel Jose M. Dalipe, Ralph Recto, Neptali “Boyet” Gonzales, Lani Mercado Revilla, Jorge Bustos, Zaldy Co, Milagros Aquino Magsaysay, Brian Yamsuan, Romeo Acop.