PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday vowed to find ways to provide additional benefits to and improve the pension system for veterans of World War II.
The President led the 81st commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan at the Mt. Samat National Shrine in Pilar town in Bataan, during which he paid tribute not only to the war veterans but also to modern-day heroes.
In an interview after the rites, the President said his administration is reviewing the pension program of war veterans who he said have been asking for more support from the administration through a pension hike. He clarified the war veterans are not covered by proposed reforms in the pension program of retired military and uniformed personnel (MUP).
“We are looking at strengthening pension system for veterans. If the system is not fixed, it won’t last because of the big amount of pension currently given…. What we are doing is ensuring that there is a correct system and that all veterans will get their pension,” he said in Filipino.
Marcos said government will also sustain recognition of and pension provided to “bolo men” or the Filipino fighters who used bolos in fighting foreign invaders since the United States colonization.
“For the fighters who survived, the frontline fighter, we need to look after them and care for them for what they have done that led to the freedom of the Philippines,” he said.
The Day of Valor or Araw ng Kagitingan /Fall of Bataan is celebrated every ninth of April.
This year, as it fell on a Sunday, the commemoration was moved to April 10. This year’s theme, “Kagitingan ng mga Beterano, Pundasyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino,” aims to remember the veterans whose courage and sacrifices became the very foundation of the country’s freedom.
‘HAVE FAITH’
Marcos, in his first Day of Valor ceremonies since becoming president last year, paid tribute to both the country’s World War 2 heroes and the modern-day and everyday heroes as he urged Filipinos to have faith and look to the future with confidence, as they face everyday challenges.
He thanked the war veterans for showing “the way, not necessarily an easy way, to make us the best citizens of our republic.”
He said while the country lost great men and women during that time, especially during the Bataan “Death March,” the Filipinos and even American soldiers showed the world the “most important triumph… was that we kept on fighting and that we never lost hope.”
“It has been said that it is inappropriate that we celebrate such loss, for although we lost the battle, the Fall of Bataan marked the beginning of the Filipinos’ resurgence as a fighting force to defend and to take back the land of their forefathers,” he added.
The President said heroism can be seen in the Filipino war veterans who “who fought and bled and died” in Bataan and have shown the current generation how to make the best citizens of the country, and in those who currently toil to feed their families, help their communities, and serve their country.
Marcos said the heroism and nobility of spirit is also seen among the men and women who rose to the challenge during the recent world crises and faced unseen enemies and challenges such as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We celebrate all the individual acts of valor and of sacrifice. We celebrate the Filipino spirit.
We celebrate our countrymen’s deep, abiding love of every Filipino: love for our land, love for our people, and love for our freedom. We have been called upon to stay true to that tradition, that tradition that Filipinos have demonstrated throughout our history. And so it is today that the spirit of heroism is once again asked of us by our country. Perhaps not in the grand acts displayed in the field of battle, but in the everyday challenges that we must face to defend ourselves, to defend our people, to defend our country,” he added.
‘DEEP REMORSE’
Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa and United States Embassy chargé d’affaires Heather Variava joined the President in the commemoration.
Koshikawa reiterated Japan’s “deep remorse for our country’s actions before and during the Second World War,” and thanked the Filipinos for their forgiveness and graciousness as he reaffirmed his country’s commitment to sustain efforts to strengthen Japan’s ties with the Philippines.
Variava recognized the veterans for their sacrifice, valor and helping shape the history of both the Philippines and the United States.
She said the US has been honoring Filipino war veterans through the awarding of its Congressional Gold Medal, one of the country’s highest civilian honors, for several years now, and is again set to bestow the award to the veterans, who are in their 90s, on Tuesday.
“Today, we recommit to the quest for peace so that future generations will not experience the horrors of those who lived through wars and conflicts,” she said as she reiterated the US’ commitment to its ties with the Philippines, describing the alliance between the two nations as “ironclad.”
Variava also said at least 12,000 American service members will visit the Philippines this week to train with Filipino service members, shoulder-to-shoulder, in “the largest Balikatan Exercise ever held.”
