P135-K MONTHLY PENSION TO WIDOW, WIDOWER OF FILIPINO KILLED BY ENEMY IN ISRAEL

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

I saw recently the video of Israeli Ambassador to the Philippines Dana Kursh conversing with Pangasinan Governor Ramon V. Guico III in a phone call while Basista Mayor J.R Resuello, other top local public officials, and the family of Mary Ann Velasquez de Vera, 32, (who perished in an Iranian ballistic missile attacked in Tel Aviv, Israel on February 28, 2026) listen.

The Envoy pledged to help the family. “I’m sending extra hand for you if that’s okay?”.

“Thank you! Thank you, Ambassador!” quipped by the Governor.

Earlier the envoy – probably a former member of the military just like her predecessor who is an ex- naval officer and just like everybody in Israel -- told the public the Tel Aviv government will provide comprehensive, lifelong assistance to the family of Mary Ann.

When I interviewed Ambassador Ilan Fluss during his visit on November 5, 2023 at Binmaley, Pangasinan to give comfort and help to the family of caregiver Angelyn Peralta Aguirre,33 he cited to me how his government would help the bereaved family.

 Aguirre was murdered by the Hamas terrorists when they had those gruesome killing rampage against the Jews in Shemini Atzeret in October 7, 2023 that killed 1,200 people and the taking of more than 240 hostages.

“What were the benefits from the Israeli government of the four Filipinos killed by Hamas in your country?”

“The family also get the benefits and assistance from the Israeli government. Assistance for burial, assistance for the wake and also later for the monthly basis they will be getting income for their parents, their husbands, (and) children. They will be getting monthly income I’ll show to you later the figure they will be getting monthly income from the Israeli government. They will be getting too also special assistance/allowances for medical treatment, for education,” the Ambassador told me.

 On a list of benefits given by Envoy Fluss to Binmaley Mayor Merrera, the monetary benefits are the following: Mourning expenses: P112,476.00; Widowhood grant: P80,780.00; Participation in burial expenses: P72,800.00; Maintenance of the grave: P50,442.00 (Once in every 5 years); TOTAL: P316,498.00.

Monthly Benefits

For spouse or common law partner; P134,749.44 (Amount can be higher depending on the number of children); For bereaved parents (combined) P118,297.06; For single parent P94,637.65.

 Annual Benefits

Annual convalescence grants: P50,288.00; Memorial grant P14,182.00.  

 

***

A top official of the town quipped to me in a banter: “Dadami ang chicks ng mister ni Angelyn sa laki ng pension niya kada buwan e bata pa siya” in reference to the P135,000 monthly pension for a lifetime, sanamagan!, given to the husband.

Kidding aside, you wonder probably why a small country with a 10 million population like Israel could generously give those “fortune” of financial benefits to the families of those deceased Filipinos (same benefits to the country’s citizens, I heard) that could not be given by a 117 million population (2025) “breed like a rabbit” forsaken country’s Philippines?

Records show that the technology-driven economy Israel – that was born as a nation 1948, thanks to the 1917 Balfour Declaration by the British has an economy of U.S $541 billion (2024) and a per capita income (PCI) of U.S $54,000 while our doomed country (governed by scoundrels, cretins, and sleazes) economically depends on her English speaking human export for that valuable U.S Dollars has an economy of only of U.S$462 billion and a PCI of U.S$3,985.

Does our country have a chance to uplift the lives of her sorry people? Yes, and I was incessantly talking and blogging this economic path since time immemorial.

Here’s what I wrote at the banner of my Facebook blog/vlog (10 million views in the last 28 days according to its dashboard) 101 Talk Radio:

“Result when a country opens its economy to 100% foreign ownership (as seen on the third photo here): The Philippines Constitution allows 40% only of foreign ownership in our industries thus we are poor while China, Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong have more money compared to us. I saw personally how Shenzhen City, China catapulted into a progressive city when I went there in the early of 2000’s. Let’s amend the xenophobic economic provisions of the Philippines Constitution to make our country rich”.

***

During a visit at the house of the deceased at Barangay Poblacion in Basista, Governor Guico extended to the family his deepest sympathy to the fate of Mary Ann to her auntie Belinda and grandparents.

“Iyong nakakahanga po doon iyong hindi niya iniwanan ang kanyang inaalagaan 90 years old pinilit niyang dalhin sila sa bomb shelter pero hindi po umabot dahil po bumagsak na po ang missile at seems that siya iyong napuruhan sabi po ng Tita ni Mary Ann na si Maam Belinda,” Guico stressed.

The Governor also offered to employ Bernie – the husband of De Vera who is still in Israel with the remains of the latter – at one of the offices of the the provincial Capitol in Pangasinan.

“So ako naman ay nag commit po sa pamilya at kay Bernie kaya pagbalik niya po dito gusto ko siyang ma meet personally makausap. Nag offer po tayo ng trabaho para kay Bernie”.

Meanwhile, Basista Mayor Resuello respect the request of the family to mourn privately the death of Mary Ann and seek the understanding of the public and the media.

He explained that he exhorted the local government like the Municipal Employment Service Office (MESO) to expedite all the needed documents for the return of the deceased to her home.

“Magbibigay po ang LGU (local government unit) ng tulong pinansiyal tulad din ng provincial government magbibigay din sila ng tulong pinansiyal sa family at kung ano man iyon basta not all about financial”.