REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7696 - AN
ACT AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6948 OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS "AN ACT STANDARDIZING AND UPGRADING THE BENEFITS FOR MILITARY
VETERANS AND THEIR DEPENDENTS"
Section 1. Sec. 3 of the Republic Act No. 6948 is hereby
amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 3. Eligibility. — Any person who rendered
military service in the land, sea or air forces of the Philippines
during the revolution against Spain, the Philippine-American War, World
War II, including Filipino citizens who served in allied forces in the
Philippine territory and foreign nationals who served in Philippine
forces or of any recognized or deserving guerrilla organization who
took active participation in the resistance movement and/or in the
liberation drive against the enemy during World War II, or of the
Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea, or of the Philippine Civic
Action Group or Philippine Contingent in Vietnam, who has never
heretofore enjoyed educational benefit under Philippine law nor under
the United States law, who desires to study; or one direct descendant
of a veteran in whose favor he renounces such right; or the surviving
spouse or a direct descendant of a deceased veteran in whose favor the
same is applied for by the surviving spouse or by the legal guardian
shall, upon certification of the Administrator, be admitted to any
school, college, university, or institution authorized by the
Government, with all school fees, including tuition, matriculation,
athletic, library, laboratory, medical, military training, diploma and
graduation fees, at the expense of the Government, subject to rules and
conditions promulgated by the Administrator."
Sec. 2. Sec. 5, Title II of Republic Act No.
6948 is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 5. Pension Rates. — A veteran who is disabled
owing to sickness, disease, wounds or injuries sustained in line of
duty shall be given a monthly disability pension in accordance with the
rates prescribed hereunder, unless he is actually receiving a similar
pension for the same disability from other government funds or from the
United States Government;
"a) If and while the disability is rated anywhere
from ten to thirty per centum (10% - 30%) the monthly pension
shall be One thousand pesos (P1,000.00);
"b) If and while the disability is rated anywhere
from thirty-one to forty per centum (31% - 40%), the monthly
pension shall be One thousand one hundred pesos (P1,100.00);
"c) If and while the disability is rated anywhere
from forty-one to fifty per centum (41% - 50%), the monthly
pension shall be One thousand two hundred pesos (P1,200.00);
"d) If and while the disability is rated anywhere
from fifty-one to sixty per centum (51% - 60%), the monthly
pension shall be One thousand three hundred pesos (P1,300.00);
"e) If and while the disability is rated anywhere
from sixty-one to seventy per centum (61% - 70%), the monthly pension
shall be One thousand hundred pesos (P1,400.00);
"f) If and while the disability is rated anywhere
from seventy-one to eighty per centum (71% - 80%), the monthly pension
shall be One thousand five hundred pesos (P1,500.00);
"g) If and while the disability is rated anywhere
from eighty-one to ninety per centum (81% - 90%), the monthly pension
shall be One thousand six hundred pesos (P1,600.00);
"h) If and while the disability is rated anywhere
from ninety-one to one hundred per centum (91% - 100%), the monthly
pension shall be One thousand seven hundred pesos (P1,700.00): plus
Five hundred pesos (P500.00) for the spouse and each unmarried minor
children: provided, that a veteran, with or without a service-connected
or non-service connected disability, upon reaching the age of seventy
(70) is deemed totally disabled with one hundred per centum (100%)
rating and shall be entitled to a monthly pension of One thousand seven
hundred pesos (P1,700.00) plus Five hundred pesos (P500.00) for the
spouse and each unmarried minor children."
Sec. 3. Sec. 9 of Republic Act No. 6948 is
hereby repealed and Section 10 of Republic Act No. 6948 is hereby
amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 10. Eligibility. — A veteran as defined in
Sec. 2(a) of this Act who is at least sixty-five (65) years old
shall be paid an old-age pension of One thousand pesos (P1,000.00)
monthly for life, unless he is actually receiving a similar pension for
the same consideration from other-government funds or from the United
States Government: provided, that in the succeeding years starting
January, 1995, said One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) monthly old-age
pension shall be increased annually by not less than Five hundred pesos
(P500) per month until total old-age pension shall be at least Five
thousand pesos (P5,000.00) per month."
Sec. 4. Section 13 of the Republic Act No. 6948 is
repealed and Section 11 of Republic Act No. 6948 is hereby amended to
read as follows:
"Sec. 11. Pension of Surviving Spouse. — The
surviving spouse of a veteran as defined in Sec. 2(a) of this Act
shall, regardless of age, be paid a pension of One thousand pesos
(P1,000.00) monthly until he/she remarries or dies, unless he/she is
actually receiving a similar pension for the same consideration from
other government funds or from the United States government. This
pension is separate and distinct from the death pension granted under
Section 12 of this Act: provided, that in the succeeding years starting
January, 1995, said One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) monthly pension
shall be increased annually by not less than Five hundred pesos
(P500.00) per month until total pension shall be at least Five thousand
pesos (P5,000.00) per month."
Sec. 5. Section 12 of Republic Act No. 6948 is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 12. Eligibility. — For the death of a veteran
in line of duty or at any time after honorable discharge or separation
from the service as a result of wounds, or injury received or sickness
of disease incurred in line of duty or as a consequence of the
performance of duty, and of a political prisoner who died in prison or
was killed by the enemy armed forces during World War II, the surviving
spouse and unmarried minor children or, in default thereof, the
parents, except those who for the same reason are actually receiving a
similar pension from other government funds or from the United States
Government, shall be given a pension of One thousand pesos (P1,000.00)
a month for the surviving spouse and One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) a
month for each unmarried child until the surviving spouse remarries or
dies, and until the minor child dies, marries or reaches the age of
eighteen (18), or One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) for each parent with
the right of accretion, until they die."
Sec. 6. Section 18 of Republic Act No. 6948 is
repealed and Section 17 of Republic Act No. 6948 is hereby amended to
read as follows:
"Sec. 17. Veterans Wards. — The Philippine Veterans
Affairs Office shall enter into agreement with all government hospitals
including regional, provincial, district and municipal hospitals for
the establishment of veterans wards, with an initial aggregate capacity
of at least two thousand (2,000) beds to provide hospitalization and
medical care to veterans and dependents: provided, that there will be
at least one (1) government hospital with a veterans ward in each
province and each city which is not a provincial capital: provided,
further, that the hospital where the veteran was confined shall
immediately inform the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO)
accordingly of his confinement, for the latter to immediately remit to
said hospital the necessary funds in payment of the confined veteran's
expenses for hospitalization and medicines which shall not be less than
Two hundred pesos (P200.00): provided, finally, that funds remitted by
PVAO to any government hospital for this purpose shall be retained by
the hospital and used for its operations in addition to its regularly
appropriated funds."
Sec. 7. Sec. 20 of Republic Act No. 6948 is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 20. Burial Assistance. — Unless the person who
defrayed the expenses for the funeral of a deceased veteran is entitled
to a similar benefit from the United States Government, he/she shall be
given Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) as burial assistance upon
application therefore in due form which shall be filed within two (2)
years from the death of the veteran concerned."
Sec. 8. Sec. 23 of Republic Act No. 6948 is
hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 23. Exemption of Pension from Income Tax,
Attachment, Levy, Garnishment. — Any pension granted a beneficiary
under this Act shall not, wholly or partly, be subject to income tax,
attachment, execution, forfeiture, or retention under any legal or
equitable proceedings, except for membership dues to the Veterans
Federation of the Philippines which, with the beneficiary's consent,
shall be deducted and remitted by the Philippines Veterans Affairs
Office direct to the Veterans Federation of the Philippines, either
while in the possession of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office or
any of its officers, while in transit, or already in the hands of the
beneficiaries, nor shall any lien of any kind or under any
consideration be imposed thereon."
Sec. 9. Additional Benefits from Local
Governments. — Notwithstanding any existing laws, rules and
regulations, veterans and their dependents or survivors who receive
such benefits under Republic Act No. 6948 may also receive any
additional benefits granted by their respective local governments.
SECTION 10. Funding. — Funds for the purpose of this
Act shall be included in the annual general appropriations of the
Department of National Defense and such funds required for the initial
implementation of benefits adjusted or upgraded under this Act shall be
taken from the available savings and funds of the National Government.
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. — All existing laws or
parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take
effect upon approval.
Approved: April 9, 1994
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