SURVIVING World War II veterans and their dependents have a billion reasons to smile.

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President Duterte on Monday ordered the release of P4.7 billion in unpaid benefits to war veterans and widows of soldiers who died defending the country from Japanese imperial forces.

It was a fitting tribute to the war veterans as the nation marked the annual National Heroes’ Day.

The distribution of the cash benefits was earlier approved by then President Benigno Aquino III, but it was put on hold because of the election ban, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

Mr. Duterte said part of the amount would be given to retired soldiers who were at least 80 years old. “It will be released as soon as possible,” he said in a speech at a ceremony at Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

He said P3.5 billion of the fund for the Total Administrative Liability (TAD) would be distributed to the veterans and widows while the remaining P1.2 billion would be intended for retired military officers.

“Be careful. If you are not loyal to your wife, she might be joining the widows (who will get) P3.5 billion. And if I were the wife, I would think again now. There’s (money) waiting for me,” Mr. Duterte said in jest.

The distribution of the cash benefits was stipulated under Republic Act No. 7696, which amended the law standardizing and upgrading the benefits for military veterans and their families.

Mr. Duterte, the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, thanked Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno and Lorenzana for signing the joint implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for the distribution of the funds.

“I think he (Diokno) is the best ever budget secretary. And so publicly, I would like to thank you sir for accepting my offer to join the Cabinet. I really appreciate it very much,” he said of Diokno.

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As mandated by law, each beneficiary should receive P1,700 in monthly allowance upon reaching the age of 70 starting April 9, 1994.

However, many of the veterans had died before they were able to collect their TAD allowances.

In the joint IRR, all beneficiaries should receive the entire amount due them.

The Philippine Veterans’ Affairs Office and the AFP were directed to process and facilitate the immediate distribution of the amount to all beneficiaries.

As of September 2015, there were 16,237 surviving spouses entitled to the TAD pension. With a report from Inquirer Research

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