Don’t vote for antivet solon

In the face of life-threatening illnesses and debility, World War II veterans are still hoping against hope that Congress would see the urgent need to approve the proposed P20,000 increase in our monthly old-age pension. This should enable us to stand on our feet in the swirl of the skyrocketing prices of prime commodities and medicines.

Our monthly old-age pension was last increased to P5,000 in the 1990s during the presidency of Fidel V. Ramos. It is no longer realistic after more than 15 years and it is not helping to ease or lift us from our deplorable condition. But our present legislators seem not to have a heart for us veterans, who are now in the twilight of our lives, sickly, limping or even bedridden. According to existing laws, we should be attended to properly and guaranteed a decent existence. Yes, our legislators choose to remain deaf and blind to our crying financial needs.

When it was announced, during the meeting of the veterans’ federation Supreme Council in May 2013 by Ernesto G. Carolina, administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, that the veterans of World War II would receive a monthly old-age pension of P20,000 effective January 2014, which he said he had worked out with the chair of the House committee on veterans affairs (“War vets’ pension to rise to P20,000,” News, 1/10/14), we heaved a sigh of relief. However, when the proposed bill, which was sponsored by the chair himself and approved by the House of Representatives and the Senate reached Congress’ joint committee, it was set aside by a senator-member in favor of the one-time, after-death P20,000 burial benefit he had sponsored.

Congress recently passed the P2,000 increase for the SSS pensioners; I don’t see any reason why the joint committee cannot approve the P20,000 monthly old-age pension for World War Il veterans. There seems to be a disparity in the way Congress approves pension increases.

As to the senator who went against the Senate-House-approved P20,000 pension, he is now running for a national position. I urge World War II veterans, their families, relatives and friends, and the entire voting population, for that matter, not to vote for him in the forthcoming May 2016 presidential election.

—GODOFREDO O. PETEZA, district president, Veterans Federation of the Philippines, Camarines Norte, Veterans District-Region 5