The government is working to finds ways on how to give additional support to the country’s war veterans who have been asking for more support from the administration through a pension hike, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Monday.

During an interview following his attendance at the 81st commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan in Mt. Samat in Bataan, President Marcos said his administration is looking at strengthening the pension system of Filipino war veterans.

“Ang aming tinitingnan ay kung papaano natin patibayin ang sistema na pagbigay ng pensyon sa ating mga beterano. At dahil sa kasalukuyan, pagka hindi inayos ang sistema, hindi tatagal dahil malaki ang binibigay sa mga pension,” the President told reporters.

“Mayroon nagre-retire bago sa retireable age. Itong mga problemang ito ay lilitaw ‘yan kaya’t ang aming ginawa ay tiyakin muna na may sistema upang lahat ng ating mga beterano ay makatanggap ng kanilang tamang pensyon,” the chief executive explained.

Once a stable pension system is established, Marcos said his government would look for things that could be given to the World War II veterans, who were recognized and paid with their backpays only a few years ago.

Filipino fighters called Bolomen will also continue to receive recognition and pay from the government, the chief executive said.

“Ito’y ipagpatuloy dahil… kinikilala natin sila. At sa nag-survive na sundalo na fighter, na frontline fighter, kailangan talaga natin ay kupkupin natin at tulungan natin at alagaan natin sila dahil sila ang nagbigay nitong napaka-gandang biyaya ng kalayaan sa atin dito sa Pilipinas,” the President pointed out.

The President clarified, however, that the reform of the pension system for war veterans is not included in the reform being pushed by the administration for retired military and uniformed personnel (MUP).

The administration announced that it would push for the passage of the bill seeking to reform the MUP pension program.#