Solons seek inquiry into delayed IRR of

law granting gratuity to military heroes

Two lawmakers are seeking an inquiry into the delayed issuance of the
Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act 909 enacted !" years ago
which grants monthly gratuity and pri#ileges to military heroes$ specifically awardees of
the %edal of &alor'
%agdalo (arty)list Reps' *rancisco Ashley +' Acedillo and ,ary -' Ale.ano$
through /ouse Resolution !0$ sought an inquiry into the delay in the issuance of the
IRR of Republic Act 909$ otherwise known as 1An Act ,ranting %onthly ,ratuity and
(ri#ileges to an Awardee of the %edal of &alor$2 which according to them undermines the
implementation of the pro#isions of the law'
The solons e3plained that the %edal of &alor is the highest award that may be gi#en
to a *ilipino soldier in recognition of his or her act of gallantry abo#e and beyond the call
of duty and in total disregard of one4s safety'
A /ouse inquiry will enable the appropriate /ouse committee to re#isit RA 909$
which was enacted on %arch 00$ 000!$ and identify the necessary amendments to afford
awardees of the %edal of &alor the proper recognition and support due them according to
Acedillo and Ale.ano'
Acedillo said RA 909 pro#ides %edal of &alor awardees with adequate social
ser#ices and financial rewards in recognition of their e3ceptional bra#ely' 1The rewards
pro#ided under the law also ser#e to encourage men and women in the military to perform
heroic deeds for their country$2 he said'
Acedillo said many of the awardees$ howe#er$ claim that they do not en.oy the full
benefits of the law' /e cited a news report wherein %edal of &alor awardees asserted that
they are not en.oying the full benefits of RA 909 because of lack of awareness with
regard to the pro#isions of the law'
The same article pointed out that due to lack of awareness$ many awardees and their
dependents ha#e had to bring a copy of RA 909$ the awardees4 %edal of &alor citations
and birth certificates with them to pro#e they are entitled to the pri#ileges stated in the
law'
1This humiliating and diminished repute of RA 909 may ha#e been a#oided if the
IRR of the law were issued by the agencies in#ol#ed in the effecti#e implementation of the
Act' The IRR would ha#e pro#ided the guidelines and informed the concerned agencies
about the proper implementation of what is stated in the law$2 said Acedillo$ a former
NR # 3603
SEPT. 28, 2014
(hilippine Air *orce ((A*) pilot and officer'
Ale.ano said there is a need to find out the reasons behind the blatant delay$ if not
inaction$ of the different go#ernment agencies in#ol#ed in the crafting of the IRR of RA
909 which undermined the purpose of the law in recogni5ing the sacrifices made by the
awardees'
Ale.ano said on the part of the awardees$ they ha#e proposed that their present
(00$000 monthly gratuity pay be raised' /e cited that 6ection 0 of RA 909 pro#ides that
ad.ustments in the lifetime monthly gratuity pay may be done in consideration of
applicable economic and social factors such as inflation rate$ and that such ad.ustments
may be done within three years following the effecti#ity of the Act and no oftener than
once e#ery fi#e years'
1It is hoped that by re#isiting the gratuities pro#ided for in the law$ we may awaken
the nationalist consciousness in the hearts and minds of the bra#e men and women in the
military who risk their li#es daily so that we may li#e with peace of mind$2 said Ale.ano$ a
former %arine captain' ("0) rbb