US Veterans Office chief due in RP with ‘good news’

President Arroyo disclosed yesterday that the head of the United States Veterans Office is due in the Philippines and may bring "good news" for Filipino World War II veterans.

The President bared this as the nation prepares to commemorate tomorrow the annual "Araw ng Kagitingan" rites marking the historic "Fall of Bataan" during World War II. Filipino and American soldiers surrendered in 1942 to the invading Japanese Imperial Army after a valiant struggle in Bataan.

And to mark this event in history, Mrs. Arroyo announced that she will convene her first regional Cabinet meeting in Bataan at the BRC Petron auditorium in Limay.

But before the Cabinet meeting, President Arroyo will lead the commemoration of "Araw ng Kagitingan" at the Dambana at the Mt. Samat Shrine in Pilar with Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Gen. Diomedio Villanueva, and officials of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) and the surviving war veterans and their spouses.

The President said she has invited Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP) president retired Col. Emmanuel de Ocampo to be a resource speaker in the Cabinet meeting, whose agenda includes finding ways the government can raise the P15 billion required to pay for the arrears to the monthly pension and benefits due WW II veterans.

The President also announced yesterday that the full increase to P5,000 of the monthly pension of veterans will take effect this July.

In a speech before the officers and members of the VFP held yesterday at the Folk Arts Theater in Roxas Boulevard, President Arroyo said she looks forward to more "good news" for the Filipino war veterans, many of whom are now in their twilight years but are still awaiting benefits from the US government.

The President said she expects the bearer of this "good news" to be the US Veterans Affairs chief, scheduled to arrive in the Philippines on a still undisclosed date.

"I told Secretary Reyes, perhaps the US Veterans Affairs head won’t dare come to the Philippines if he has no good news to tell us," she pointed out.

The President particularly cited the government’s pending request to the American government for the passage into law by the US Congress of the Veterans’ Equity bill which seeks to give Filipino veterans the same monthly pension and benefits received by their American counterparts. – Marichu Villanueva