Philippine Veterans Pensions Alongside VA Benefits

This is a Philippine benefit, paid by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office under Republic Act No. 6948 as amended, and it matters on this page because many of the veterans VA pays at the half rate for Commonwealth Army or guerrilla service are entitled to it as well. Who is a veteran for it. Section 2(a) of RA 6948 covers anyone who served in the Philippine land, sea or air forces in World War II, "including Filipino citizens who served in Allied Forces in the Philippine territory," along with veterans of the revolution against Spain, the Philippine-American War, the Korean and Vietnam campaigns and other campaigns, and anyone honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the Philippines after at least six years of active service or separated earlier by line-of-duty death or disability. Both pensions at once. Republic Act No. 9499 of April 9, 2008, the Filipino World War II Veterans Pensions and Benefits Act, states the policy of granting pensions and benefits to Filipino World War II veterans "even when similar pensions and benefits are already provided by the United States Government." Read the text it wrote into section 10 carefully, though: the old-age pension is payable "unless he is actually receiving a similar pension for the same consideration from other government funds," while the surviving spouse provision in section 11 says "other Philippine Government funds." The policy section is unambiguous about U.S. benefits; ask PVAO how it applies the section 10 wording if VA pays the veteran a pension rather than compensation. How much. Republic Act No. 11164, signed December 20, 2018, raised the old-age pension of World War II, Korean and Vietnam veterans to P20,000 a month, for Korean and Vietnam veterans only if they are not drawing an Armed Forces of the Philippines pension. The increase is for living veterans only and does not pass to family members. Under section 10 the old-age pension starts at 65. The disability pension was reset by Republic Act No. 11958, approved August 24, 2023: P4,500 a month for a rating of 10 to 30 percent, rising in steps to P10,000 at 91 to 100 percent, plus P1,000 for the spouse and each unmarried minor child. A veteran who reaches 70 without a disability pension is deemed disabled and paid P1,700 a month. The new rates are prospective and limited to living veterans. These ratings are PVAO's, not VA's, so a VA rating does not set them. A surviving spouse receives P5,000 a month under section 11 as RA 9499 wrote it, regardless of age, until remarriage or death, unless already receiving a similar pension from other Philippine government funds. PVAO's website could not be read for this entry, so confirm current amounts and how to apply with PVAO directly.