AFP Medal of Valor awardees to receive higher monthly incentive next year

Recipients of the Medal of Valor, the highest military honor in the Philippines, are expected to receive higher monthly gratuity starting January next year.

New Armed Forces chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon, during the 81st anniversary celebration of the Philippine military.

"Maging ang benepisyo ng ating Medal of Valor awardees ay tinaasan na din," Año said, as he enumerated other improvements "within the organization," including an increase in the soldiers' combat pay starting September 2017, as well as the retrofitting of the V. Luna Hospital.

In a separate interview, retired Marine Col. Ariel Querubin, a Medal of Valor awardee, said the increase will be effective on January 1, 2017. He said the increase could make the monthly incentive as much as P75,000.

"Ang recommendation namin kasi nu'n based du'n sa computation namin, so iba-base mo 'yung increase ba 'yung mga basic pay ng mga sundalo, ganito kalaki na percentage, so du'n namin isinunod na kung 'yun ang susundin. Tumataas sila, dapat tumataas din tayo, so 'yung computation namin umabot ng 75 [thousand]," he said.

Querubin explained that they have been recommending higher incentive for Medal of Valor awardees since the law states that it must be increased every five years.

Republic Act No. 9049, signed into law in 2001, said a Medal of Valor awardee is "entitled to a lifetime monthly gratuity" of P20,000, which "is separate and distinct from any salary or pension" he or she is receiving from the government. 

RA No. 9049 allowed the introduction of an increase three years after the law took effect, with adjustments made "no oftener than once every five years."

It states that the President of the Philippines is authorized to made the said adjustment in rates, "upon the joint recommendation" of the AFP chief of staff, and the secretaries of Defense and Budget and Management. 

Querubin noted that the increase was endorsed by former AFP chief Gen. Ricardo Visaya, who recently retired.

"Request namin, of course, kasi napapag-iwanan na rin naman 'yung allowance na 'yun du'n sa ine-expect namin," Querubin said.

He added that the figure hasn't moved since the P5,000 increase that put the monthly gratuity to P25,000.

"[H]indi na nasunod 'yung P5,000 lang, kundi lumundag talaga siya, kaya ang laki ng nilundag niya, kaya happy kami," he said.

He added: "Happy kami, pero sa aming senior officers, hindi masyado 'yung effect niya. Pero du'n sa mga [lower ranks], malaking bagay kasi mas mataas na ngayon 'yung allowance."

Army Col. Bartolome Bacarro, another Medal of Valor awardee, also said they were glad about the increase.

"We welcome it. Ang masasaya talaga 'yung mga dependents ng deceased na mga Medal of Valor awardee," he said, adding that for some, the gratuity is a main source of income.

Bacarro said there is also work being done to streamline the system so that dependent-families may also avail of their benefits from schools and hospitals that are not attuned to what the law states.

According to RA No. 9049, a Medal of Valor awardee, his/her widow/widower and/or dependents, shall also be entitled to other benefits including free medical and dental services and consultation in hospitals and clinics anywhere in the country.

Among other benefits are:

• precendence in employment in government agencies or government-owned or controlled corporations;
• priority in application for government housing, or acquisition of public lands;
• privilege to obtain loans of up to P500,000 from government-owned or controlled financial institutions "without having to put up any collateral"; and
• 20-percent discount from all establishments for transport, hotel and lodging, restaurants, recreation and sport centers, purchase of medicine, as well as in theaters, cinema houses, and other places of "culture, leisure, and amusement"

—Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KBK, GMA News