"Our fiscal reforms enable us now to start paying our nation’s debts to our veterans and the orphans of our heroes who now rest in peace. Not only in words, not only in memorial ceremonies like today but also in concrete material terms," she said.

"Thus, to begin paying the arrears in the old-age pension, death pension, disability pension and educational benefits of our veterans, thanks to our fiscal reforms, we are now in a position to release P1 billion to start paying our debts," she said.

The Philippines is said to have some 260,000 veterans of various wars and campaigns, notably the Philippine Revolution, the Filipino-American War and World Wars I and II, most of whom have already passed away without their promised compensation.

The arrears in benefits due the thousands of Filipino war veterans and their dependents are said to run to about P42 billion.

"We have won many victories in our struggles because we help one another and because we know how to sacrifice. The struggle is still long and heavy but we are determined to win because we have the needed weapons," the President said.

She explained that the fiscal reforms the government has instituted will help raise the needed resources to finance the expenses for the benefits of the Filipino war veterans.

Mrs. Arroyo said the expected revenues will come from the implementation of the Expanded Value-Added Tax (EVAT) Law and the Lateral Attrition Law, among others.

She assured Filipino veterans all over the country that as a commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, she will do anything and everything to meet their needs.

"Gusto kong ipabatid sa ating mga minamahal na veterano na ginagawa ng inyong Pangulo ang lahat ng makakaya para tugunan ang inyong mga pangangailangan," she said.

Surviving war veterans welcome GMA announcement

By E. T. SUAREZ

Surviving war veterans, most of whom are sickly and emaciated primarily due to old-age, were heartened yesterday by President Arroyo’s order to release P1 billion for the pensions and additional benefits of war veterans.

The President issued her order as she addressed the celebration of "Araw ng Kagitingan" at Dambana ng Kagitingan on Mt. Samat in Pilar, Bataan.

The war veterans, under the umbrella of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) headed by Col. Emmanuel V. de Ocampo, said the P1 billion ordered released by President Arroyo will greatly help them cope with current economic difficulties.

They expressed the hope though that the rest of the amount for pensions and other benefits the government owes them – which he placed at P25 billion -- will be released in due time as they are now in the twilight of their lives.

"Our most urgent need now is economic assistance in the form of additional pensions under Republic Act 7696 and other laws covering disability benefits," he said.

De Ocampo, who is also the chairman of the Philippine Veterans Bank (PVB), said only very few of the surviving war veterans are gainfully employed. He said most of them are too old or sickly to work.

"Only their meager pensions sustain them and their families," he said. "Many of them are under medication for ailments that normally come with old age."

Party-list Rep. Ernesdo S. Gidaya of the Veterans Freedom Party said that while parades and ceremonies in their honor are appreciated by war veterans, they would appreciate more the benefits that are due them under the law.

Gidaya said the government still has to pay the war veterans P5 billion in old age pension, P278 million in death benefits, P260 million in accrued pensions, and P20 billion in disability benefits.