Trillanes hails passage of bill increasing burial assistance for veterans

Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes welcomes the passage into law of House Bill No. 694 under Senate Committee Report No. 57, or the bill that doubles the burial assistance for veterans, now Republic Act No. 10649.

"We thank President Aquino for providing this much needed support to the families of our veterans after their demise. It is suitable to accord our veterans, who risked their lives for the protection of our liberty and democracy, with an increased burial assistance," said Trillanes, chairman of Senate Committee on National Defense and Security andprincipal sponsor of the said measure.

Under RA 10649, or the law amending Republic Act No. 6948, as amended, burial assistance for veterans will be increased to P20,000 from P10,000, which has been given to dependents of qualified veterans since 1994. Said amount will be provided upon application within two (2) years from the death of the veteran concerned. The expenses for the initial implementation would be sourced from the current year's appropriations for burial expenses of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).

Trillanes added that although the said amount may not be enough to defray all the costs for the burial of our veterans, the said law will be able to accord our veterans due recognition for their patriotic service in our country, while assisting their families in their time of need.

This law will take effect on 12 December 2014, 15 days after the publication of the law in the Official Gazette.