REPUBLIC ACT No. 2664
AN ACT TO CONSOLIDATE INTO ONE OFFICE TO BE KNOWN AS THE "PHILIPPINE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION" THE BOARD ON PENSIONS FOR VETERANS CREATED BY COMMONWEALTH ACT SIX HUNDRED AND FIVE, THE PHILIPPINE VETERANS BOARD CREATED BY REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED SIXTY-FIVE, THE CLAIMS OFFICE CREATED BY VIRTUE OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX, THE VETERANS BACK PAY COMMISSION CREATED BY REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED EIGHT HUNDRED NINETY-SEVEN AND THE REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED EIGHTEEN HUNDRED EIGHTY-NINE, AMENDING THEREBY THE LAWS CITED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
Section 1. Short title. This Act shall be known and cited as the "Philippine Veterans Administration Act."
Section 2. "Veteran" defined. For the purpose of this Act, the term "veteran" shall include all military personnel who served with the military forces of the Philippines during the revolution against Spain, the Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, and the Korean conflict: Provided, That military personnel of the Armed Forces of the United States who are entitled to benefits under Philippine laws, as well as their heirs, beneficiaries and successors in interest, shall be considered as veterans for the purposes of this Act: Provided, further, That the benefits to be administered under the provisions of this Act shall pertain only on those due by reason of service as a veteran as defined herein.
Section 3. Creation. As a consolidated office to administer all benefits due the veterans, their heirs or beneficiaries, and Administration is hereby created to be named the "Philippine Veterans Administration" which shall be under the Office of the President of the Philippines.
Section 4. Composition. The Administration shall be composed of an Administrator and four Deputy Administrators to be known as First, Second, Third and Fourth Deputy Administrators, who shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines with the consent of the Commission on Appointments and who shall hold office during good behavior unless sooner removed for cause or become incapacitated to discharge the duties of their office.
In case of inability of the Administrator to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the First Deputy Administrator shall act as Administrator aside from performing other duties which may be assigned to him as First Deputy Administrator.
In case of inability of the First Deputy Administrator to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Second Deputy Administrator shall act as First Deputy Administrator aside from performing other duties which may be assigned to him as Second Deputy Administrator.
In case of inability of the Second Deputy Administrator to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Third Deputy Administrator shall act as Second Deputy Administrator aside from performing other duties which may be assigned to him as Third Deputy Administrator.
In case of inability of the Third Deputy Administrator to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Fourth Deputy Administrator shall act as Third Deputy Administrator aside from performing other duties which may be assigned to him as Fourth Deputy Administrator.
In case of inability of the Fourth Administrator to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the ranking division chief shall act as Fourth Deputy Administrator aside from performing other duties which may be assigned to him as Chief of Division.
Section 5. Qualifications and disqualifications. The Administrator and the Deputy Administrators shall be veterans, at least forty years of age, and good moral character.
Any person who has been found guilty administratively or judicially of direct or indirect participation in any anomaly or irregularity committed in the government service and/or has been convicted of an offense involving moral turpitude, shall be disqualified from appointment in the Philippine Veterans Administration.
Section 6. Framework. The Administrator and the Deputy Administrator shall, with the Administrators as Chairman and the four Deputy Administrators as members, constitute a Board which shall exercise all the powers, prerogatives, duties and functions of the offices abolished by this Act.
Section 7. Quorum. The Administrator or in case of inability to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Acting Administrator and two Deputy Administrators shall constitute a quorum of the Board.
Section 8. Abolition of offices: Transfer. Upon the appointment of the Administrator and Deputy Administrators as provided in Section four hereof, the Board on Pensions for Veterans, the Philippine Veterans Board, the Veterans Back Pay Commission, and the Veterans Claims Commission, are hereby abolished, and their personnel, books, records, documents, files, supplies, equipment, furniture, appropriations and unrevertible or unexpended balance of their prior and/or current appropriations are hereby transferred to the Philippine Veterans Administration.
So much of the annual appropriations authorized under Republic Act Numbered One hundred thirty-six, and of the unexpended balances from current and prior years' appropriations under the same Act, together with the corresponding number of civilian employees to be paid out of such funds, and all such books, records, documents, files supplies, equipment and furniture, as may be necessary to enable the Philippine Veterans Administration to discharge the functions and duties transferred to it under Section nine of this Act, are hereby transferred from the Judge Advocate General, Armed Forces of the Philippines, to the Philippine Veterans Administration.
Section 9. Powers, duties and functions. Subject to the provisions of Section ten hereof, the powers, duties and functions now vested in or exercised and performed by the office enumerated in Section eight hereof, and those exercised and performed by the Claims Office under the Judge Advocate General, Armed Forces of the Philippines, are hereby transferred to the Philippine Veterans Administration: Provided, That the powers, duties and functions in relation to the implementation of Republic Act Numbered Three hundred and forty and Republic Act Numbered Six hundred and ten, including the administration of the monies left to minor heirs under Republic Act Numbered One hundred and thirty-six, shall remain with the offices now administering such laws: Provided, further, That the duties and functions of the National Treasurer shall be limited only to the issuance of acknowledgment certificates and certificates of indebtedness or treasury warrants in liquidation of the same, upon recommendation of the Philippine Veterans Administration.
Section 10. Functions retained by certain officials. The functions heretofore performed respectively by the Secretary of National Defense and the Adjutant General or other officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines referring to the certification of service, the line of duty status, the service connection of death or disability under the laws on gratuity, and other similar matters shall continue to be performed by them.
Section 11. Policies, rules and regulations. Subject to existing laws, the Administration shall have the power to promulgate and issue rules and regulations as may be found necessary to govern its operations and to carry out the aims and purposes of this Act and of all other laws to be administered by the Administration.
Section 12. Salaries of the Administrative and Deputy Administrators. The Administrator shall receive an annual compensation of twelve thousand, and each of the Deputy Administrators, ten thousand.
Section 13. Transitory provision. The Chairman of the Philippine Veterans Board shall act as Administrator until one has been appointed by the President. He shall cause the immediate transfer to the Administrator of the offices mentioned in Section eight hereof to effect the consolidation.
Section 14. Budgetary adjustment: Civil service eligibility. The Budget Commissioner shall make immediate provisions for budgetary adjustments to carry out the purposes of this Act: Provided, That no employee who is qualified under the Civil Service Law of 1959, now serving in any of the offices herein consolidated into the Philippines Veterans Administration, shall be laid off nor shall his salary be reduced by reason of this consolidation.
Section 15. Repealing clause. All laws and parts of laws inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.
Section 16. Date of effectivity. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
Approved: June 18, 1960
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