NAGA CITY - Zacarias Lamadrid, the 92-year-old World War II veteran from Camarines Norte who could barely walk, can now heave a sigh of relief. A Land Bank manager has paid him a visit and assured him he would not have to travel 22 kilometers just to withdraw his P5,000 monthly pension.
Ma. Lourdes U. Mancenido, manager of the Land Bank of Labo visited Lamadrid in Capacuan, Paracale, on Wednesday, the day after the WWII veteran's story was published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Mancenido told his family that the war veteran would no longer be required to present himself to the bank to withdraw his pension. Bank personnel would bring the withdrawal slip to Lamadrid for him to imprint his thumb mark.
Aside from walking with great difficulty, Lamadrid could hardly steady his hand to sign his name.
Mercedes Lamadrid, 83, spouse of the veteran, told the Inquirer by phone on Thursday that Mancenido had assured them that Land Bank personnel would personally come to their house once the pension has been credited to his account.
“She (Mancenido) told me that if the pension is already there, they would immediately come to our house to let my husband put his thumb mark [on the withdrawal slip]. There is no need for me to present a special power of attorney to be able to withdraw the cash,” Mercedes said.
She said the Land Bank also offered to help them process the papers of Lamadrid so that he could qualify for pension under the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE), members of the Philippine military forces during the Commonwealth Period absorbed under the command of Gen. Douglas McArthur.
Lamadrid was born on Sept. 13, 1916. At the age of 21 in 1937, he trained in the military in Bagasbas, Daet, Camarines Norte. In 1939, he signed up as an active member of the military forces until the Second World War broke out.
Lamadrid was in Bataan when the Japanese forces conquered the fortress but he was able to escape and walk to Bicol for almost a month to join the resistance forces until the Liberation in 1945.
The WWII veteran's records are intact under the care of Mercedes.
Mercedes said they were advised by Mancenido to consult a lawyer to help them process his records so he could qualify for pension from the US government, being a member of the USAFFE.
In a text message, Norberto, the youngest in Lamadrid’s brood of six, thanked the Inquirer for publishing his father’s story.
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