TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) -- The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) and the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) have collaborated for the establishment of a 15-bed ward dedicated for the use of veterans and their direct dependents.  

Speaking the Tipon-Tipan sa PIA program, PVAO provincial office head Muriel Viernes said they are now completing the procurement of equipment and facilities needed for the full operation of the ward.

She said the project is also in partnership with the Veterans Federation of the Philippines, which aims to provide comfortable and dedicated facilities to living heroes as part of their incentives for serving the nation during the war. 

CVMC Chief of Hospital Glenn Matthew Baggao assured PVAO that there is already an identified building where the veteran's ward will be established. 

“Our counterpart is to provide the beds and other utilities needed in the ward. We are just waiting for the release of the proposed fund for the said necessities to start the operation of the facility,” Viernes said.

PVAO team has also conducted a site inspection in the said building to determine its accessibility and to check other needed requirements to make it conducive, especially to frail and sickly veterans. 

"This ward will cater exclusively to the veterans and their family members for free," Viernes added. 

Aside from monthly pensions for veterans or their surviving spouses or minor children, they also receive other benefits including disability, burial assistance, healthcare, hospitalization, and scholarship assistance.

In Cagayan province, PVAO caters to over 2,000 military veterans and over 3,000 spouses, parents, and minor children of the veterans.

Viernes also explained that the veterans, upon reaching the age of 65, also enjoy a P5,000 monthly pension.

"The same amount is also received by the surviving spouse and their direct descendants. Beneficiaries could be the spouse or minor children of the veteran or parents of the veterans in case he is single," she added. 

Upon reaching 70 years old, she added, veterans receive P1,700 in addition to their monthly pension.

On the other hand, war veterans who served during World War II receive a P20,000 monthly pension.

Meanwhile, the pension of the veterans for January 2024 has already been released to the beneficiaries according to Viernes. 

The Tipon-Tipan sa PIA is a weekly radio/TV program of the Philippine Information Agency Region 2 aired live at PIA Region 2 Facebook live and covered by various local media channels in the Cagayan Valley Region. (OTB/GVB/PIA-2)