US benefits for Filvets is 'better than nothing'
Time might be running out for the 20,000 remaining Filipino World War II veterans who are already in their 80s.
MANILA, Philippines - With time running out on the remaining Filipino World War II veterans, claimants to the lump sum benefits should be thankful for receiving something rather than nothing.
Sandiganbayan retired Justice Manuel Pamaran, vice president of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP), said time was of the essence for the surviving war veterans whose average age is 80.
"The veterans are fast dying," Pamaran told GMANews.TV on Wednesday. "See, it’s better than nothing."
US President Barack Obama signed into law on Wednesday (Manila time) the $787-billion stimulus package.
The US Embassy in Manila broke the good news to the war veterans that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was included in the signed bill.
"The US Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office will also be conducting extensive outreach, within and outside of Manila, to the many Filipino WW II veterans throughout the Philippines to ensure all those entitled receive the benefits they deserve as soon as possible," the statement read.
Pamaran earlier said that naysayers who continued to cast a gloom over the "delayed" Filipino veterans’ benefits should just reserve their ill-feelings against the US legislation.
"Everybody should stop saying they are dissatisfied because things could turn and Obama could change his mind," he said.
But Pamaran is optimistic that the benefits for Filipino veterans will push through since the bill was pushed by US Democrats, who are allies of Obama. Before his election as president, Obama vouched his support for the Filvets’ cause.
The benefits provide a tax-free, one-time $9,000 (roughly P430,000) nonservice connected compensation for veterans who are not US citizens and $15,000 (roughly P717,000) for veterans who are US citizens.
Not everyone can get benefits
Pamaran, who served alongside American soldiers during WWII as a private first class, said that even if the US Congress approved the measure's final version, Filipino veterans would still face a problem on identifying the recipients of the pension.
According to him, when Missouri made the list of Filipinos who served in WWII in the late 1940s, about 230,000 signed up.
"Now barely 20,000 survived," he said.
Some Filipinos who were part of the guerrilla movement in the Philippines also failed to be included in the list and are thus ineligible for any US pension, Pamaran added.
"There are only 18,000 listed Filipino war veterans. Six thousands are in the US, while 12,000 are in the Philippines," he said.
The more than 35,000 surviving WWII Filipino veterans whose average age is 80, have been waiting for the last 62 years for the US government to correct the Recession Acts’ "injustice" and provide them compensation equal to that of their American counterparts.
Until the US government begins giving out the delayed benefits, Dioscoro Valmasen, a war veteran in the Philippines, is trying to stay alive to enjoy it.
"I slipped my disc when I was bowling one day," Valmasen told GMA News, “They told me to take care of my health since I might not live long enough to enjoy the benefits." - GMANews.TV
MANILA, Philippines - With time running out on the remaining Filipino World War II veterans, claimants to the lump sum benefits should be thankful for receiving something rather than nothing.
Sandiganbayan retired Justice Manuel Pamaran, vice president of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines (VFP), said time was of the essence for the surviving war veterans whose average age is 80.
"The veterans are fast dying," Pamaran told GMANews.TV on Wednesday. "See, it’s better than nothing."
US President Barack Obama signed into law on Wednesday (Manila time) the $787-billion stimulus package.
The US Embassy in Manila broke the good news to the war veterans that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was included in the signed bill.
"The US Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office will also be conducting extensive outreach, within and outside of Manila, to the many Filipino WW II veterans throughout the Philippines to ensure all those entitled receive the benefits they deserve as soon as possible," the statement read.
Pamaran earlier said that naysayers who continued to cast a gloom over the "delayed" Filipino veterans’ benefits should just reserve their ill-feelings against the US legislation.
"Everybody should stop saying they are dissatisfied because things could turn and Obama could change his mind," he said.
But Pamaran is optimistic that the benefits for Filipino veterans will push through since the bill was pushed by US Democrats, who are allies of Obama. Before his election as president, Obama vouched his support for the Filvets’ cause.
The benefits provide a tax-free, one-time $9,000 (roughly P430,000) nonservice connected compensation for veterans who are not US citizens and $15,000 (roughly P717,000) for veterans who are US citizens.
Not everyone can get benefits
Pamaran, who served alongside American soldiers during WWII as a private first class, said that even if the US Congress approved the measure's final version, Filipino veterans would still face a problem on identifying the recipients of the pension.
According to him, when Missouri made the list of Filipinos who served in WWII in the late 1940s, about 230,000 signed up.
"Now barely 20,000 survived," he said.
Some Filipinos who were part of the guerrilla movement in the Philippines also failed to be included in the list and are thus ineligible for any US pension, Pamaran added.
"There are only 18,000 listed Filipino war veterans. Six thousands are in the US, while 12,000 are in the Philippines," he said.
The more than 35,000 surviving WWII Filipino veterans whose average age is 80, have been waiting for the last 62 years for the US government to correct the Recession Acts’ "injustice" and provide them compensation equal to that of their American counterparts.
Until the US government begins giving out the delayed benefits, Dioscoro Valmasen, a war veteran in the Philippines, is trying to stay alive to enjoy it.
"I slipped my disc when I was bowling one day," Valmasen told GMA News, “They told me to take care of my health since I might not live long enough to enjoy the benefits." - GMANews.TV
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