War vets get PAGCOR Christmas treat
At the age of 82, retired Air Force personnel 2nd Lt. Col. Serafin de Austria can still vividly recall his meaningful years in the military.
“I was enlisted in 1958 at the young age of 19, and had served in the military service for the Air Force for 35 years,” he said. His more than three decades in service consisted of witnessing the martial law years, coup d’etat attempts and the People Power revolt.
One of his unforgettable moments was during the final year of martial law when he almost lost his wife and three kids in the war between the rebels and the government.
Villamor then was bombed. “My family was there. My buddy and I ran out to go to our families, and when I got to my house, my kids were no longer there. It turned out my kids were evacuated to Quezon. It’s a good thing they were not affected by the bombing or else I would have lost my family,” he recalled.
De Austria retired from the Air Force in 1993 and became part of the Filipino War Veterans Foundation (Filvets), a non-stock, non-profit organization for Filipino veterans and their dependents. He is currently the vice president of the organization’s AFP Village in West Bicutan Chapter.
Filvets members benefit from the organization’s programs such as free medical and health care services. They also get to participate in medical missions and outreach clinics and other projects of the organization.
This year has been a more meaningful one for Filvets members as they get an early Yuletide treat from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) by being part of the agency’s annual Pamaskong Handog tradition.
About 300 Filvets members received Christmas gifts containing noche buena items from the state-run gaming firm. Meals were served to the beneficiaries and they were also entertained by singer Jun Polistico.
“We thank PAGCOR for choosing us, and we hope this will not be the only time so that our members who are veterans have reason to be glad. We know that PAGCOR has helped a lot of people, especially those needing financial assistance,” De Austria expressed.
This is the ninth year that PAGCOR is doing its annual Pamaskong Handog tradition, which will run until 18 December 2019.
The state-run gaming agency will reach out to more than 21,000 individuals from 32 charitable institutions nationwide.
PAGCOR’s Pamaskong Handog beneficiaries this year include persons with disabilities, civil servants, senior citizens, indigent children and families, veterans, special kids and out of school youth.