Long-promised pension increase still a promise

In the Jan. 10, 2014, issue of the Inquirer, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Administrator Ernesto Carolina was reported to have announced that “the House committee on veterans affairs has approved the monthly old-age pension hike for World War II veterans from P5,000 to P20,000 which may be implemented next year. The objective of our congressmen is to have this approved within this year so that it can be given immediately to veterans who are already aging.”

This year’s anniversaries of several historical events of great importance to our nation (e.g., Araw ng Kagitingan, Araw ng Kalayaan, Araw ng mga Bayani) have come and gone, but no such pension hike has been received.

At the age of 90, with waning strength, I am again making this plea to government for the immediate grant of the pension increase long promised to veterans, so that we can meet our living needs before we cross the “Great Divide.”

—FERNANDO S. ALGAS JR., General Santos City