Senate passes Philippine Veterans’ Month Act on final reading

The Senate on Monday, March 16, passed on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 1719, also known as the Philippine Veterans' Month Act, which proposes to designate the entire month of April each year in honor of the nation’s veterans.

Authored and sponsored by Sen. Loren Legarda, the measure seeks to formally recognize and commemorate Filipino veterans while ensuring they and their families receive proper care, benefits, and assistance.

“Scarcity changes perspective: when time is limited, gratitude can no longer be postponed. The proposed Philippine Veterans’ Month Act affords us the rare privilege of honoring our veterans not only in portraits and pages of history, but in person, while their stories can still be told in their own voices,” Legarda said.

Beyond commemoration, the bill outlines several key goals. It aims to create opportunities for veterans to share their personal experiences, helping preserve their stories and pass them on to younger generations, while strengthening historical awareness among Filipino youth about the role veterans play in shaping the country.

It also emphasizes improving the welfare of veterans and their families, particularly by ensuring fair access to the benefits and services they are entitled to under the law.

In addition, the measure seeks to institutionalize the annual observance of Philippine Veterans’ Month through coordinated programs and activities involving government agencies, local government units, non-governmental organizations, and the public.

The bill also envisions the month-long observance as a platform for pushing evidence-based policies and programs aimed at improving service delivery to veterans, especially those in remote, underserved, and conflict-affected areas.

Under the proposed law, the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and the Department of National Defense, in coordination with agencies such as the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, and Department of Education, will lead the implementation and enhancement of activities for the annual observance.

-Paraluman News