Lingayen, Pangasinan – THE provincial government of Pangasinan together with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) marked the 18th Pangasinan Veterans Day by honoring 25 World War II living veterans from the province on January 9, 2025 at the Capitol Beach Park in Lingayen.
The celebration also coincided with the 80th anniversary of the Lingayen Gulf Landing made by General Douglas MacArthur together with Allied forces which led to the liberation of the island of Luzon from the Japanese during World War II.
Department of National Defense (DND) Undersecretary and guest of honor Pablo Lorenzo recognized the veterans’ courageous service to the country and encouraged everyone to continue striving for peace, unity, and progress.
“This is not only a reflection on the past but also a reaffirmation of our commitment as a nation to forge the future for which our veterans fought. Let their example inspire us to confront today’s challenges — challenges that demand the same unwavering determination, discipline, love for our country, and unity,” Lorenzo emphasized.
He added that the DND is also increasing veterans’ medical care by establishing the Veterans Medical Service by partnering with DOH hospitals nationwide.
The 15-bed ward at Region 1 Medical Center will be opened today, Jan. 10, 2024, to serve not only war veterans but also their surviving spouses and disabled children, ensuring they receive the benefits they rightfully deserve from the government.
The 17M facility is equipped with state-of-the-art medical tools, with an additional P6 million allocated for equipment such as an intensive care unit (ICU), ventilators, mobile X-ray machines, electrocardiograms (ECG), and cardiac monitors.
The 18th Pangasinan Veterans Day ceremony was highlighted with the giving of recognition to the 10 veterans who attended, wreath-laying and a 21-gun salute to honor the fallen heroes of the province.
The oldest living veteran is 108-year-old Valentin Untalan from Calasiao.
There are 950 living veterans throughout the country today with 25 residing in Pangasinan.
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