Legal basis and amended statute
- Republic Act No. 11958 amends Republic Act No. 6948, titled “An Act Standardizing and Upgrading the Benefits for Military Veterans and Their Dependents,” as amended.
- Section 1 further amends Section 5 of Republic Act No. 6948 by revising the disability pension rates and related conditions.
- The Act consolidates Senate Bill No. 1480 and House Bill No. 7939.
Policy, purpose, and legislative intent
- Republic Act No. 11958 rationalizes the disability pension of veterans by amending Republic Act No. 6948 for that purpose.
Disability pension rates and entitlements
- Section 5 (as amended by Section 1) requires that a veteran disabled owing to sickness, disease, wounds or injuries sustained in line of duty be given a monthly disability pension.
- The veteran’s monthly pension depends on the disability rating percentage “anywhere from” the stated ranges and applies “if and while” the disability remains within the given range.
Disability rating ranges (monthly amounts)
- For disability rated 10% - 30%, the monthly pension is P4,500.00.
- For disability rated 31% - 40%, the monthly pension is P5,300.
- For disability rated 41% - 50%, the monthly pension is P6,100.00.
- For disability rated 51% - 60%, the monthly pension is P6,900.00.
- For disability rated 61% - 70%, the monthly pension is P7,700.00.
- For disability rated 71% - 80%, the monthly pension is P8,500.00.
- For disability rated 81% - 90%, the monthly pension is P9,300.00.
- For disability rated 91% - 100%, the monthly pension is P10,000.00.
Dependents and additional allowances
- Section 5 (as amended) provides that for disability rated 91% - 100%, the veteran’s pension includes “plus One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) for the spouse and each unmarried minor children.”
- The additional amount is payable in the manner stated—P1,000.00 for the spouse and for each unmarried minor child.
Special rule for veterans reaching age 70
- Section 5 (as amended) provides that a veteran, upon reaching the age of seventy (70) and not receiving disability pension under this Act, is deemed disabled.
- For that deemed-disabled category, entitlement is a monthly pension of One thousand seven hundred pesos (P1,700.00) only.
- The special age-based entitlement is framed as a monthly disability pension, but it is expressly limited to the P1,700.00 only amount.
Prospectivity and living-veteran limitation
- Section 5 (as amended) provides that entitlement to disability pension authorized herein is prospective.
- Entitlement is limited to eligible living veterans only.
Funding, separability, and repeal
- Section 2 provides that the initial amount necessary for implementation shall be charged against the Pension and Gratuity Fund.
- Section 2 provides that thereafter, sums needed for continued implementation shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
- Section 3 establishes a separability clause: if any provision or part is held invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder remains valid and subsisting.
- Section 4 repeals, modifies, or amends any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation that is contrary to or inconsistent with Republic Act No. 11958, accordingly.