The provincial government of Antique has dedicated a mini ward for veterans at the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital (ASMGH) in the municipality of San Jose de Buenavista.

The allocation of room for veterans, their spouses and minor children was an initiative of Antique Governor Rhodora Cadiao in addition to the health and medical care program provided by the provincial hospital.

“The veteran’s room has been realized out of Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao’s benevolence,” said Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) Iloilo officer-in-charge Glen Castañares in a virtual interview on Tuesday.

The mini ward can accommodate a maximum of 10 patients and assures veterans and their dependents of a room whenever they get sick, he added.

PVAO and the ASMGH have a standing memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the latter to accept hospitalization and medical care of veterans and their dependents.

With the MOA, veterans from the province do not need to get admitted at the Veterans Medical Center in Metro Manila as they can avail of the hospitalization and medical care program at the provincial hospital in Antique.

“Under the hospitalization and medical care program, we also have health benefit packages that are being automatically deducted by the ASMGH from their bills,” the PVAO official said.

The rate of the health packages varies depending on their medical case but they are covered up to PHP1,500 per day for a maximum of 45 days per year.

The beneficiaries, upon admission, need only to present their PVAO identification (ID) or Armed Forces of the Philippines retirees’ ID.

“The veterans could also request for a certification from PVAO,” Castañares said.

Antique has 219 active PVAO pensioners as of March 2023; six of whom are World War II veterans and the rest are post-war veterans.

The country observes Philippine Veterans Week from April 5 to 11 every year under Proclamation 466, s. 1989 to promote, preserve, and memorialize the principles, ideas, and deeds of Filipino war veterans to enhance patriotism and love of country, especially among the youth. (PNA)