House okays bill abolishing Philippine Veterans Assistance Commission

MANILA, Philippines - The appropriations committee of the House of Representatives has approved a measure that will abolish the Philippine Veterans Assistance Commission (PVAC) because it has redundant functions with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO).

House Bill 4907 authored by Reps. Antonio Diaz of Zambales and Roman Romulo of Pasig City was approved, without amendments, by the committee of Quirino Rep. Junie Cua, which discussed the funding provisions of the measure.

PVAO Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina posed no objection to the measure and even welcomed it, saying that his office fully supports the abolition of the commission considering that the PVAO is already performing PVAC’s mandate.

He said no employees would be affected by the abolition since the commission has long stopped its operations.

PVAC, according to congressman Diaz, is a “non-functioning agency” with existing assets. Its abolition would eventually allow the transfer of its assets to PVAO.

Under HB 4907, PVAC employees, records, assets and liabilities will be transferred and integrated to the Philippine Veterans Administration. PVAC was created under Presidential Decree 244.

The bill provides further that the PVAO administrator would be authorized to effect the integration of PVAC’s functions, funds, records, facilities and other properties, including liabilities and personnel, subject to the approval of the Secretary of National Defense.