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Support House Local Bill 17-63
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Posted on Dec 08 2011
House Local Bill 17-63 introduced by Rep. Teresita A. Santos of Rota reminds me of Public Law 7-31. A lot of employees have retired and some have passed away but they never received their retroactive pay. I’m hoping that those individuals who passed away will still receive their long overdue retroactive pay, to be released to surviving spouses or family members.
This time around, I am in full support of the effort of Rep. Santos in introducing House Local Bill 17-63, authorizing the Secretary of Finance to release checks issued to terminally ill or dialysis patients in the first Senatorial District who have expired and giving them to the surviving spouse or family member that cared for him/her. I agree that once an appropriation bill is signed into law, it takes time for funds to be released. In the course of waiting for the appropriated funds to be released, some patients have passed away without receiving the funds. Arguably, it was prior to their passing away that funds were appropriated for them, and therefore such privilege to receive the funds should not end and must be issued to the surviving spouse or a member of the immediate family who cared for the deceased so that they can defray the expenses incurred while the deceased was still alive. The surviving family members sacrifices a lot, not only for the financial burden but to years of tending to their loved ones.
House Local Bill 17-63 is not asking much but only for funds appropriated prior to the individual’s death to be properly released to the surviving spouse or family members. It is such a creditable bill that we should be thankful to Rep. Santos for her continued dedication and commitment in protecting and representing the interest of the people of Rota. I am hoping that other members of the Rota Legislative Delegation share their support and approve House Local Bill 17-63 for the benefit of those who are caring and tending to terminally ill or dialysis patients.
[B]Rufo Maratita[/B] [I]Sinapalo1, Rota[/I]
