‘TAD’ pension for Peftok vets and their widows

PRESIDENT DUTERTE announced recently that P4.7 billion will be released for the payment of unpaid benefits of World War II veterans, the widows of World War II veterans and retired soldiers who are at least 80 years old (Front Page, 8/30/16).

My husband, Robert C. Villanueva, was a Peftok (Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea) veteran. He turned 70 years old on May 16, 2002. When he died on Oct. 7, 2003, he had been receiving the old-age pension but not the TAD (total administrative disability) pension, which veterans become entitled to when they reach age 70.

My husband would have been 84 years old now. Since retired soldiers who are at least 80 years old will be given their TAD pensions, I hope that Peftok veterans and widows of Peftok veterans will be included in this year’s list of beneficiaries of TAD pensions.

—ERLINDA P. VILLANUEVA, Tobiasville, Bantug, Muñoz Science City, Nueva Ecija