PNoy underscores gov't actions for the benefit of Filipino veterans

President Benigno S. Aquino III on Thursday made big pronouncements before World War II Filipino veterans and their families as to what the government has been doing for their welfare.

Aquino made the public pronouncements in his message during the 67th Leyte Gulf Landings anniversary celebration here today at the MacArthur Memorial Park in Palo, Leyte.

He said that his administration through the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office has been very active in making certain that the list of pensioners is updated and accurate through the agency's Pensioners' Revalidation Program.

"Fraudulent pensioners are the ultimate show of disrespect to those who have served their countries valiantly" the president stressed.

He also ensured that a few greedy individuals do not pocket funds set aside for the Filipino veterans whom he considered as heroes.

Aside from ensuring a clean list of Filipino veterans' pensioners, the president said that his administration has likewise improved the medical care available to the veterans.

Aquino revealed that the Veterans Memorial Medical Center has widened veteran access to hospitalization services by accrediting 562 government hospitals as of August this year.

The VMMC subsidized the hospital bills not merely of veterans but also of their qualified dependents, Aquino said.

The president also announced that his administration is working hard in appealing the denied claims of some of the veterans in the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) Act of America .

He further said that Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario met with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki just a few months ago to appeal for a more liberal system in processing the claims of Filipino veterans.

The PVAO is also having talks with the USDVA for the grant of payments to the heirs of the deceased veterans who have approved FVEC claims, he further added.

Aquino assured the surviving families of veterans that checks will not be forfeited just because spouses of late veterans are absent.

"We are making sure that they get what they deserve for the sacrifices they have made for our country" Aquino said. (PIA)