WWII vets honored in 74th Muntinlupa Liberation Day

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino veterans who fought during World War II were once again honored during the 74th anniversary of the liberation of Muntinlupa City from Japanese forces on Monday. 

Around 100 veterans, their spouses and their children attended the event, held in front of the city’s liberation marker beside the barangay hall of Alabang.

Among the personalities at the commemoration  were guest of honor and Veterans Federation of the Philippines president Manuel Pamaran, a retired Sandiganbayan presiding justice; Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Rep. Ruffy Biazon and other city and barangay officials.

Some veterans asked that the benefits received by their families be increased.

Celso Amores, a war veteran himself who also worked with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and the Veterans Bank, said the pension for widows of war veterans should be increased to P10,000 from the current P5,000.

While he thanked the government for the increase in his pension to P20,000 from the previous P5,000 through Republic Act 11164, which increased the pension of Filipino war veterans, he stressed that the pension of their widows be increased as well.

Meanwhile, Fresnedi bared the city government’s plan to put up an exhibit on the heroism of the city’s war veterans at the Museo ng Muntinlupa, which is slated to open on March 1.

Former president and now House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law Republic Act 9378 designating Feb. 4 of each year as the Liberation Day of Muntinlupa.