nwasianweekly.com
Nov. 17, 2007

Photo by James Tabafunda

Members of Filipino War Veterans of Washington, many of them in their 80s and 90s, gathered last year in support of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act.

Window of opportunity is closing for aging

Filipino veterans
During Word War II, almost a quarter-million Filipino soldiers were drafted into service by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. At the time, the Philippines was a U.S. territory, and Filipinos fought under the American flag.

Five months after Japan surrendered, Congress passed what was known as the Rescission Act of 1946, denying Filipino veterans benefits. The Filipino soldiers’ wartime service was not considered to be service in the U.S. military.

This year, 61 years after that disgraceful repeal of Filipino veterans’ rights, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act (HR760) has passed both House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees.

The act, which would grant full veteran status to about 6,000 Filipino World War II veterans in the U.S. and 12,000 in the Philippines, and thus full pension payments, is expected to go to a floor vote in the Senate by the end of the year.

Supporters of the bill are urging people to contact their Congress members and encourage the passage of this bill. Like all bills, the issue is a pressing matter. Unlike most bills, however, the issue is a pressing matter because the beneficiaries of this bill are dying as they wait. The youngest of the veterans are in their 80s.

There is some opposition to the bill. Some veteran groups worry that the pension plan will draw funds from another program for disabled veterans whose disabilities are not combat-related. Others argue that the U.S. has no obligation to Filipino veterans currently residing in the Philippines and the Philippine government should be responsible for their pensions.

However, according to the L.A. Times, Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.), chairman of the Veterans Affairs Committee, insisted, “We put in this budget a $13 billion increase in veterans health care based on the expectation that certain bills would be coming through, including this one. We have the resources to do this.”

Also, the bill mandates $911 a month for U.S.-based veterans and only $300 for those residing in the Philippines. Paltry as those figures seem, they are still subject to negotiation, a further reason activists are urging community members to call their Congress members.

Ben de Guzman, campaign director for the National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity, as reported in the L.A. Times, said, “We’ve come so far already. But the window of opportunity is closing.”

This past Sunday was Veterans Day, a federal holiday designed to honor those who served their country. Typically, we look back and admire the past deeds of brave men and women. Here is a chance to honor those living and deserving of recognition today.

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