MANILA - President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Friday said he has ordered relevant government agencies to see how they can address the concerns of the Malaya Lolas (Free Grandmothers), a group of elderly women who were sexually abused by Japanese soldiers during World War II.

In a statement, Marcos said the administration is "undertaking actions" in line with the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women's (CEDAW) views on the Malaya Lolas case.

The UN panel had said the Philippines has failed to provide reparation, social support, and needed recognition for the Filipina victims, leading to "ongoing discrimination against them that continues to this day."

• UN: Philippines failed to provide reparation for WWII 'comfort women' victimized by Japanese Army

This, as survivors continue to press the Philippine government to support their claims to get reparations from Tokyo for their suffering under the Imperial Japanese army.

"I have instructed the relevant Government agencies to look into how we can appropriately address the concerns of the Malaya Lolas," Marcos said in a statement.

"Government agencies concerned are formulating a comprehensive response to the CEDAW Committee and will submit this within the required period," he added.

"We commit to undertaking measures and finding ways to help them live better lives as an expression of our continued deep solidarity with them and of our outmost respect."

Marcos said his administration is committed to women empowerment and gender equality, adding that the government recognizes the harm committed to these women during the wartime.

The Philippines also maintains its treaty obligations under CEDAW, he said.

"While we maintain our previous position on the admissibility and merits of the case in view of national jurisprudence and treaty obligations, we recognize the grave atrocities endured by brave Filipino women during the wars of the 20th century, and sincerely commiserate with them as they bear the long-term and irreversible physical and psychological effects of the war," he said.

• Filipino ‘comfort women’ ring for peace and justice
• PH government urged to provide reparation, social support to Malaya Lolas

"We honor their indomitable spirit and dignity in taking this important cause forward through these years."

Organized in 1997, the Malaya Lolas had petitioned the Supreme Court to hold officials from the executive branch liable for not espousing their claims, but its pleas were junked in 2010 and again in 2014.

The group -- along with another comfort women organization, Lila Pilipina -- still refuses to accept as official the statements of apology issued by several Japanese officials in the past, including former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's letter in 2001.

Some of their members have also rejected payments made through the Asian Women’s Fund in the mid-1990s.

Virginia Suarez, the lawyer of Malaya Lolas, recently said that only 21 members of the group remain alive.

Watch more News on iWantTFC