(Eagle News Service) — President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday ordered the Department of Budget Management and Department of Defense to “expedite the early release” of more than P6 billion worth of pension benefits for the country’s war veterans, noting that they “deserve a better life in the twilight of their years.”
Before Duterte could finish his announcement, the war veterans in attendance at the Mt. Samat Shrine in Pilar, Bataan already cheered, and applauded.
“Inom muna ako ng tubig. Mabilis pa si lolo magproject.,” Duterte said, to laughter from the crowd who attended the 75th commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan and Veterans Week.
“I’d like to repeat it. I’m directing the (DBM) and (DND) to expedite the early release of the (Armed Forces of the Philippines’) retirees pension credentials for fiscal years 2008 to 2013, in the amount of 6421 billion,” Duterte said.
He also assured the veterans and their families that the government was “prioritizing” their entitlement.
In fact, he said that they have already “settled a backlog in disability pension.”
He noted that they also “made management of almost 2000 pension accounts more efficient.”
“Veterans with conditions and their dependents can be assured of free healthcare at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center and 152 veterans’ accredited hospitals,” he said, adding that he had already issued a directive to “further improve their services and accessibility.”
He added that the government has “subsidized education of more than 2500 veterans dependents under the Iskolar ng Bayan program.”
“With education, we hope they can secure a better future. These entitlements do not compare to the sacrifices you have made but we want you to know our nation, our people, are grateful to you for what you have done. And we will do better,” he said.
During his speech, Duterte also urged the young to “look at your elders with much respect and to view them with a deep sense of thanks.”
“Take the time to recognize them because what I say is not right. It is the truth. If not for them we would not be here,” he said.
“War is never worth it”
In his speech, the President also noted that “war is never worth it,” noting that the “painful lessons of war behoove all of us in the community of nations to work for peace and development.”
“The reasons of aggression against the occupation of a nation should not be countenanced. That is why the Philippines continues to articulated its principled positions that disputes should be settled in a peaceful manner,” he said, in apparent reiteration of the Philippine government’s stand in the dispute with China over the South China Sea.
“This is the responsibility of the states, of all states, great or small, strong or weak. As responsible members of the international community, this is our sacred duty,” he said.
The President also briefly touched on what he believed should be the direction of the country’s relationship with the United States of America, whose soldiers fought side by side with the Philippines’ troops in World War II.
“In that war we never asked for, we fought shoulder to shoulder with the country that is now the Philippines’ only defense treaty ally, (the US). This shared juncture in our past should be the firm basis for moving our relations forward with full and mutual respect and sovereignty,” he said.
He also noted that there was a need to “help each other to address threats that confront our societies, our region and our world,” such as the “menace of terror, violent extremism and transnational crimes such as illegal drug trading.”
It is unclear, however, whether the “we” in this statement was referring to the US and to the Philippines, or to the Philippines and all nations in general.
“We should not be afraid to fight the good fight that we know,” he said.