Angara seeks more benefits for soldiers

Sen. Edgardo Angara has filed a bill that would provide socio-economic benefits to all military personnel and their dependents.

Angara proposed the creation of a Military Dependents Welfare Office, to address the soldiers’ problems of low salary, inadequate support for hospitalization and non-availability of government housing, among others.

According to Angara, a soldier with the lowest rank gets a salary of only P5,775 a month or P68,300 a year, and thus not enough for them to cope with the increasing cost of living.

Citing statistics, Angara disclosed 52,842 soldiers do not own a house and the existing quarters nationwide can benefit only six percent of the total AFP personnel.

"It is sad to note that 14.7 percent of the 52,842 soldiers without their own house are living in the squatters area," Angara said.

Under the Angara bill, all the military personnel and their dependents should be entitled to health benefits such as free hospitalization, inclusive of professional services, medicine, medical supplies and other health related needs.

It also states that the soldiers are entitled to housing benefits and educational assistance to up to four of their dependents.

Angara said the Department of National Defense should allocate a portion of their annual budget for the support of the Military Dependent’s Benefit Act of 2001.

"The modernization of the Armed Forces should be accompanied by better and more improved benefits for the men in uniform and their dependents," Angara said.

Angara has also filed a bill seeking to establish a special economic zone and free port in Camarines Sur to strengthen the economic growth and development of the province and the entire Bicol region.

Under Senate Bill 1278, Angara said, the province should be developed into a self-sustaining financial, investment, commercial, industrial and tourism center to create employment opportunities for the people of Bicol and attract foreign investors.

"The Bicol region has sufficient skilled labor and abundant resources and this will prove conducive for foreign companies from our neighboring countries to relocate their operations here," Angara said. — Aurea Calica