SPONSORSHIP SPEECH HOUSE BILL NO. 694
COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 57

AN ACT INCREASING THE BURIAL ASSISTANCE FOR VETERANS FROM TEN THOUSAND PESOS (P10,000.00) TO TWENTY THOUSAND PESOS (P20,000.00), AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6948, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN ACT STANDARDIZING AND UPGRADING THE BENEFITS FOR MILITARY VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Mr. President:

Your Committee on National Defense and Security has the honor to sponsor House Bill No. 694, under Committee Report No. 57.

Consistent with the policy of the State to help foster the socio-economic security and general well-being of the country's veterans in recognition of their patriotic service in times of war and peace, it is but appropriate for the government to provide assistance to the next-of-kin of veterans after their demise. Further, it is but suitable to accord our veterans who risked their lives for the protection of our liberty and democracy with decent burial befitting men in uniform.

In line with this, we legislated Republic Act No. 6948 in 1990, which accorded the veteran's dependents an amount of P4,000.00 as burial assistance. In 1994, this was increased to P10,000 through RA 7696.

Twenty (20) years after its enactment and with the burial expenses having considerably increased over time, it is necessary that the burial assistance to the next-of-kin of a deceased veteran be likewise increased.

This bill proposes to increase the burial assistance for veterans to P20,000. Although this amount may not be enough to defray all the costs for the burial of our beloved veterans, the increase is significant and will definitely help the family of our veterans in their time of need.

During the last Congress, a similar version of this bill was passed on Third Reading in the House of Representatives; but, sadly, it was not acted upon here in the Senate.

This Congress, the counterpart version of this bill has already been passed on Third Reading in the House of Representatives. It is the hope of this Committee that this august chamber will now act upon this measure and provide this much needed support for our veterans.

In view of the foregoing, I urge our colleagues to support the immediate passage of this measure.

Thank you, Mr. President.