P4 billion saved from cleansing of PVAO - Aquino

PILAR, Bataan , Philippines  – President Aquino said yesterday the government had gotten rid of “ghost pensioners” and saved some P4 billion for more services to World War II veterans.

The President said during the commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan at Mt. Samat here that “the funds have been returned and saved and used to pay for the back pensions over seven years that reached more than P4 billion.”

He said he learned that “ghosts veterans and pensioners” or those who had already died were still receiving pensions to the benefit of unscrupulous individuals.

He added that the administration acted swiftly on the issue and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) launched a massive campaign to cleanse the list of pensioners.

He also noted that under the Direct Remittance Pension Servicing System, veterans can now get their pensions faster.

Those who could not open their accounts in a bank within a year were identified and their pensions were stopped, he said.

“We were able to help about 30,000 World War II veterans in 2009 (with the P4 billion savings). This way, we were able to cut our debts from the veterans by almost 50 percent.”

The President stressed that it would not be fair to deprive the veterans of their benefits and privileges, especially health care.

Aquino said this year, the Veterans Memorial Medical Center upgraded its equipment and facilities, including the operating room and the intensive care unit, while the PVAO made arrangements with more hospitals to give veterans and their families an P800 subsidy daily for their confinement.

He announced that the Department of National Defense, PVAO and the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) would provide health insurance for qualified veterans.

PhilHealth is now expediting the process of enlisting the beneficiaries and the DND has allotted P1 million for the program, he said.

Aquino also paid tribute to the “nameless and unsung heroes” who braved the war, particularly the Death March here, to gain the country’s independence.

“Our generation has a lot to learn from our veterans. We would do well to emulate the spirit of service that they exhibited, especially now that we are facing new foes: corruption and poverty.”

“Our triumph in this new battle is hinged on whether or not we can display the same bravery our heroes displayed back then,” the President said.

“To all of our people: the strength of this country is in our hands. Let us learn to fulfill our collective responsibilities, let us show our veterans that their sacrifices have not gone to waste,” he said.

The President said that while the road “we have to walk on is long and there are many problems that lie ahead,” his administration would remain sincere in finding solutions to the many challenges.

“You are still my boss and my appeal is for us to continue helping and taking care of one another,” Aquino said.

He said the country is celebrating Philippine Veterans’ Week to show the country’s appreciation to those who sacrificed for the liberty of the nation.

“Three generations after the war, we are still trying our best to show our gratitude by taking care of our veterans and their families. More than seven decades after, we still remember your sacrifices because your heroism stands the test of time. And for that we remain eternally indebted to all of you,” Aquino said.

“I know that you, our veterans, may have lost some battles during those times, but your courage and love for country became instruments in winning a larger war – a war to awaken the Filipino heart, which allowed us to achieve independence,” he said.