Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 10) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said his administration is working to improve the pension system for war veterans to ensure all of them are properly paid.
“Ang aming tinitingnan ay kung paano natin patibayin ang sistema ng pagbigay ng pensyon sa ating beterano…Tiyakin muna na may sistema upang lahat ng ating beterano ay makatanggap ng kanilang tamang pensyon,” he told reporters during the 81st anniversary of the Fall of Bataan commemorated as Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor).
[Translation: What we’re studying is how to strengthen the pension system for our war veterans. We need to ensure that all of them get the right amount of pension.]
“Kapag naayos natin ito, tsaka na natin tingnan kung ano pa ang pwede nating ibigay,” he added.
[Translation: Once we fix the system, that’s when we’ll study what else we can give to our war veterans.]
This was his response when asked if the government has plans to increase the pension of around 1,000 surviving World War II veterans in the country.
In his speech during the commemoration program at Mt. Samat National Shrine in Bataan, Marcos also reiterated his gratitude to those who valiantly defended the country against colonizers.
“We thank our heroes—those who fought, and bled, and died here, for they have shown us the way, not necessarily an easy way, to make us the best citizens of our republic,” he said.
Executive Order No. 203, s. 1987 designated April 9 of every year as Araw ng Kagitingan to commemorate the fall of Bataan during the Japanese invasion of the Philippines.
