FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 Jbll. -4 A8 :22 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill mandates the establishment and maintenance of an Office of 
Veterans Affairs in the Philippine Embassy in the United States of America 
(USA) to ensure that the Filipino veterans shall receive the benefits and 
privileges due them. 
As of June 2007, the Philippine Veterans Affairs logged 249,987 
pensioners. 183,274 are receiving their old age pension; 16,995 their disability 
pensions; and 39,718 pensions were released. Of the ones receiving their cld-age 
pension, 158,022 receive their benefits through the bank while the remaining 
number receives theirs through snail mail. Despite the veterans receiving 
compensation for their service to the country, they have yet to collect their full 
benefits and privileges from the American government with whom they fought 
and served to obtain independence and peace. 
This bill seeks to establish and maintain an Office of Veterans Affairs in 
the Philippine Embassy in the United States of America to represent, negotiate 
and lobby for the rights of the Filipino veterans with the appropriate US offices. 
The office shall be maintained for five years after its date of establishment or 
until the Filipino veterans shall receive their benefits and privileges, the time of 
which shall exceed another five years. 
The office shall be headed by an appointee of the President of the 
Philippines. Other staff members include two administrative assistants assigned 
by the Secretary of the Department of National Defense and other locally hired 
staff members. For its first year, the necessary funds shall be provided through 
the budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The amount necesshry to 
continue the implementation shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
To ensure that the Filipino veterans enjoy their twilight years with the aid 
of their benefits and privileges, the urgent approval of this measure is earnestly 
sought. 
Senator 


Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN AN OFFICE OF VETERANS AFFAIRS IN 
THE PHILIPPINE EMBASSY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 
PRESCRIBING ITS FUNCTIONS, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND 
FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives oftke Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
. 
SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the 
Government to pursue the claims of Filipino veterans of World War I1 and work 
for the full restoration of their rights, privileges and benefits from the Gnited 
States government. 
SECTION. 2. 
Establishment of an Office of Veterans Affairs. For the 
attainment of this goal, there is hereby created an Office of Veterans Affairs in 
the Philippine Embassy in the United States of America mandated with the task 
of making formal representations, consultations and negotiations or otherwise 
cause the conduct of sustained and effective lobbying with appropriate offices of 
the legislative and executive branches of the United States government and other 
agencies and entities which can enhance the favorable consideration of the claims 
of Filipino veterans. The office shall be in existence for five (5) years from the 
date of approval of this Act or until the Filipino veterans shall have availed of 
their legitimate claims, time of which shall not exceed another five (5) years. 
SECTION 3. Staffing. The Office of Veterans Affairs shall have a staff 
consisting of a head of office appointed by the president of the Philippines, two 
(2) administrative assistants assigned by the Secretary of the Department of 
National Defense and such other locally hired personnel as the head of office 
may find necessary. The Veterans Federation of the Philippines shall submit a list 
of five (5) persons who could head the Office of Veterans Affairs and one of 
whom shall be appointed by the President of the Republic of the Philippines as a 
special presidential representative who shall have a comparable diplomatic rank. 
The amount necessary for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be charged against the current year's 
appropriations for the operational requirements of the Veterans Affairs Office in 
Washington D.C. authorized under the budget of the Department of Foreign 
Affairs. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the continued implementation of 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 4. Appropriations. 
SECTION 5. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved,