“Di pay didiay intedda kaniami ket naggapu met laeng kaniami?” (Does that means that what was given to us (as pension) came from us just the same?)

This was a realization expressed by one World War II veteran’s widow when the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Expanded Vallue Added Tax (EVAT) was explained as the source of their pension as WWII vets gathered on the 63rd commemoration of Benguet’s liberation from the Japanese Imperial army invaders.

Before the outbreak of the Pacific War, the US colonial government in the Philippines was preparing for it by training the Filipino soldiers through the Philippine Scouts and the Reserved Officers Training Corps (ROTC) as part of the US armed forces in the far east. When Bataan fell and lost the war to the Japanese the Filipino soldiers were left by the escaping US armed forces to fend for themselves. They were either taken prisoners of war or went underground.

Many survived the death march to Capas, Tarlac from Bataan. More of them escaped to organize or join the guerrilla wherever they could and even took in the American soldiers left behind in the escape to Australia. They continued without outside help and put up a heroic fight for Philippine Independence. The guerrilla army were winning when MacArthur made true his promise to return.

After the war, most were discharged and promised their back pay and pension as part of the US army in the Pacific Campaign. Payments for these were made to the Philippine government for the WW II veterans. Yet for the WWII veteran the war is not yet done as he continues to struggle to be able to collect a measly pension until today … in their twilight years. Most of them in their mid-eighties.

The fund for their back pay has been paid and the fund for their continued pension is a mainstay in the national budget appropriations. It is a moral obligation for this government and all governments following to see to it that especially for the Philippine WWII vet be properly compensated and pensioned a decent and livable amount without any obligation from them.

At their age and state it is insensitive to ask them to endorse or even campaign for the continued collection of VAT or EVAT so their pension may continue.

In the first place, the VAT law is found by reliable institutions to be an immoral imposition on the Filipino people.#