Senator Legarda calls for declaration of April as Philippine Veterans Month

Senator Loren Legarda has sponsored Senate Bill No. 1719 seeking to declare April of every year as Philippine Veterans Month.

In her sponsorship speech on March 4 during the plenary session, Legarda emphasized the urgency of institutionalizing veterans’ recognition, moving beyond ceremonial observances to provide concrete support.

She said the country needs to establish a permanent national framework to honor Filipino veterans while ensuring sustained access to services and education, adding that the bill is designed to embed veterans’ legacy into law, classrooms, and public service.

“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.

The four-term senator cited official records showing 464 living World War II veterans, 41 surviving members of the Philippine Civic Action Group who served in Vietnam, and 29 veterans of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea, underscoring the measure’s urgency.

Under the bill, coordinated nationwide activities would be mandated, veterans’ stories would be more deeply integrated into basic education with guidance from the Department of Education, youth volunteer programs would be encouraged.

The bill also proposes access to benefits and health services would be improved. Inter-agency coordination would be led by the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office and Department of National Defense, with support from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Health, and DepEd.

“Sa pamamagitan nito, mapag uugnay natin ang paggunita at pagkilala. Tuwing Araw ng Kagitingan, inaalala natin ang diwang hindi sumuko. Sa Philippine Veterans’ Month Act, pinalalawig natin ang pag alalang ito sa buong buwan,” Legarda added.

She also tied the measure to present-day national security concerns, noting that historical awareness strengthens unity.

“The tensions we see abroad—and the continued aggression in the West Philippine Sea—remind us that peace and security are fragile, and that love of country must be grounded in historical consciousness. This is why Philippine Veterans Month matters: it keeps the lessons of courage, duty, and sacrifice alive for the next generation,” Legarda said.

By designating April as a month of focused action, the bill aims to transform veterans’ observances from ceremonial remembrance into operational commitments, ensuring that gratitude is expressed through education, healthcare, and public service.

“I respectfully urge the immediate passage of this bill, so our gratitude is expressed both in law and in action,” Legarda said.

-Paraluman News