THERE are now fewer requirements for families of military veterans seeking burial assistance through the Davao City Veterans Welfare and Benefits Program, said the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs (CSA).
“Amo kini s’yang gipaamendar nga mao na ni karun siya nga Davao City Veterans Welfare and Benefits Program, sa una daghan kaayo ni siya’g requirements na kinahanglan ang service record so karun sa City Council,nagbaba na ang atoang requirements (The City Council have made amendments and this is now the Davao City Veterans Welfare and Benefits Program. Before the service records required a lot of documents but now only a few requirements are being asked from the families),” Pastor Luis Moran, OSCA Head, said.
Moran said the death certificate, certification form from the Philippines Veterans Affairs Office located at the Magsaysay Park, and the barangay clearance are the requirements for those requesting burial assistance from their office.
He also said the processing of the assistance is now shorter.
“Sa una kay moabot og tag duha o tag tulo ka bulan kay one month man ang processing mo-request og service record didto sa Camp Aguinaldo (Before it would take two to three months because it would take a month to process the requests made at the service record in Camp Aguinaldo),” Moran said.
Moran said they wanted the veterans to have the dignified burial they deserved.
But Moran said that they should be a resident of Davao City for at least five years, counted back from the time of their death.
“Pero within two years kinahanglan maclaim, a written claim must be submitted from the city accountant's office within two years from the death of the veteran,” Moran said.
Moran said the even veterans part of the military campaign can avail the same assistance
“Mao na sila atoang mga sundalo, nga nakiggubat sa atoang mga rebelde kung baga, ang nangyari karun, ang atoang sa City Ordinance sa 08-01-22 sa City Council ang atoang ginahatagan karun apil na sila, so naamendar tong sa una nga World War II lang ang tagaanan (These are soldiers who fought against the rebels. Through City Ordinance 08-01-22 of the City Council we included them, before it's only the World War II veterans),” Moran said.
In 2001, there were 2,225 World War II veterans. At present, there are only five left.
“That is why, we expanded the benefits including, now under the new ordinance, ang retirees, ang AFP retirees,” Moran said.
Moran said the beneficiaries will be able to claim P20,000 burial assistance from their office. KSD