Only 2,000 WW II vets in Pangasinan
RECORDS of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) in Dagupan indicate that the number of surviving veterans is now only about 2,000 from about 15,000 as of 1994.
Some of the surviving veterans saw the actual landing of the liberation forces at dawn of Jan. 9, 1945 as part of the guerrilla force sent to secure the beaches for the safer landing of the troops.
Many of the surviving veterans of World War II will have a reunion at the Veteran Memorial Park at the back of the provincial capitol on January 9 to observe the 67th anniversary of the landing of the Allied Liberation Forces led by General Douglas Mac Arthur.
Meanwhile, Romy Madriaga, veterans affairs office in Region 1, said the PVAO continues to distribute benefits to more widows of veterans.
Statistics show that many of the late veterans re-married younger women before they died.
The benefit is passed on to the wife but not to the children.
Madriaga said their records show that there are still some 10,000 veterans and widows receiving the monthly survival pension of P5,000 from the government through the PVAO.
In addition, veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), guerillas and the Philippine Scout who have reached 80 years are given a monthly total administrative disability pension of P1,700.
Widows are not entitled to the disability pension.
Madriaga said the Katipuneros who fought for Philippine Independence against Spain remain in the roster of veterans entitled to monthly pension, but since there are no more survivors today, no payments are made directly to them.
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