(Speech) Araw ng Kagitingan

Mt. Samat Shrine, Pilar, Bataan 9 April 2011 President Benigno S. Aquino III graced the 69th celebration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) with the theme dubbed as "Beterano: Huwaran ng Lahing Pilipino" in Bataan. The President, together with US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. and Japan Ambassador to the Philippines Yamato Katsura, offered flower wreaths to the late veteran heroes of Bataan at the Shrine of Valor in Mt. Samat. Both envoys delivered messages about the celebration and the stronger bilateral ties between their countries and the Philippines which developed over the years. In his speech, President Aquino said that Filipino veterans deserve the benefits due to their sacrifice and bravery for the country. He said that in order to provide better health services to the former military men, the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) improves its facilities and operations and the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) constructs additional hospitals all over the Philippines. The President also mentioned the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Department of National Defense-PVAO and PhilHealth which ensures that qualified veteran beneficiaries will be granted with healthcare insurance. He further said that the administration is strictly looking into the implementation of the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Act signed by US President Barack Obama in 2009. He cited that PVAO implemented the Direct Remittance Pension Servicing System to <b>...</b>













