US officials coming to RP to spell out details of Filvets benefits
CHICAGO — Officials of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) are going to the Philippines to spell out the details of how Filipino veterans can get their benefits, it was learned Tuesday.
Phil Budahn, spokesman of the Office of Public Information of the US DVA office in Washington, D.C., told this reporter in a phone interview that “the details of the mechanics on how a Filipino veteran can get the benefits will be announced by VA officers, who will be traveling to the Philippines."
Budahn said details of the trip are still being finalized and will be announced soon.
When asked if the VA has already a list of the recipients, he declined to answer.
Budahn made the announcement on the day that President Barack Obama signed the $787-billion Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that includes the grant of long-awaited benefits for Filipino World War II veterans. President Obama signed the bill in Denver, Colorado.
Meanwhile, Rep. Bob Filner (California-Democrat), chairman of the US House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, released Tuesday a press statement sent to President Obama, saying, “Twelve years ago, I joined Filipino veterans in protest in front of the White House and demanded equitable treatment. Together, we pleaded with America’s leaders to acknowledge the contributions of these veterans, recognize the injustice visited upon them, and act to correct this injustice. Unfortunately, the historical record remained blotted and Filipino veterans were not granted the rights they had earned and deserve."
Kristal DeKleer, spokesperson of Representative Filner, also quoted Filner as saying, “Today, I am thrilled that the 111th Congress has resolutely acted to acknowledge the Filipino veterans for their steadfast contributions to the successful outcome of World War II.
“H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, corrects this long-standing inequity, recognizes their noble service, and provides a one-time payment of $15,000 to Filipino veterans who are American citizens and $9,000 to veterans who are Philippine citizens.
“This compensation is intended to assist them in their later years and provide the dignity and honor that they earned as heroic veterans of the United States.
“This victory, however, comes with a note of sadness. While approximately 300,000 Filipinos fought under the American flag during World War II, less than 18,000 are alive today to celebrate this vindication," Filner was quoted as saying.
He added, “Just two months ago, the Filipino veteran community lost one of their most tireless advocates, Joaquin Tejada. I know that his dedication to this cause was vital and I am certain that his smile continues to shine brightly. I salute these fallen heroes.
“As we celebrate this momentous occasion, I call on all Americans to join me in remembering and honoring the Filipino veterans who fought for our freedom."
Filner recalled that it was 63 years ago that President Truman signed the Rescission Acts, which denied the Filipino veterans of World War II equal status as American veterans, stripping them of equal recognition, compensation, and benefits.
He said, “These Filipino soldiers, who swore an oath of allegiance to the United States, fought side-by-side with American soldiers under the American flag. Despite the gallant efforts of the Filipino soldiers during the war, Congress still passed the Rescission Acts, which denied these veterans their rightfully earned respect, benefits, and honor."
Out of the 18,000 Filipino veterans mentioned by Filner, 12,000 of them are believed living in the Philippines. They are going to receive the non-service-connected one-time pension of $9,000. The rest of the 6,000 are living in the United States, who will get $15,000 lump sum pay.
In 2007, the United States DVA estimated that there were about 30,000 eligible Filipino World War II veterans living in the Philippines who were entitled to receive benefits by the year 2008. This number would be reduced to about 24,000 by 2012.
These were the figures furnished by the US VA to the US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) two years ago when the US Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs were entertaining the idea of granting the Philippine-based veterans annual pension under Senate Bill 1315.
Because the Senate measure did not consider granting benefits to Filipino veterans living in the United States, the CBO estimate did not mention the estimated number of Filipino veterans living in the United States.
The 18,000 estimate of Chairman Filner was the same figure cited by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (Hawaii-Dem.), chairman of the US Senate Appropriations Committee, who defended the inclusion of benefits for Filipino veterans in The Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 also known as the Stimulus bill.
It is very likely that only those whose names are kept in the Military Records Center in Missouri and the US Veterans Affairs office are the only ones who can file a claim for the lump sum payment.
They must have “served in a variety of units, some of whom came under the direct control of the United States Armed Forces" from July 26, 1941 until the end of the World War II in 1946. - GMANews.TV
Phil Budahn, spokesman of the Office of Public Information of the US DVA office in Washington, D.C., told this reporter in a phone interview that “the details of the mechanics on how a Filipino veteran can get the benefits will be announced by VA officers, who will be traveling to the Philippines."
Budahn said details of the trip are still being finalized and will be announced soon.
When asked if the VA has already a list of the recipients, he declined to answer.
Budahn made the announcement on the day that President Barack Obama signed the $787-billion Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that includes the grant of long-awaited benefits for Filipino World War II veterans. President Obama signed the bill in Denver, Colorado.
Meanwhile, Rep. Bob Filner (California-Democrat), chairman of the US House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, released Tuesday a press statement sent to President Obama, saying, “Twelve years ago, I joined Filipino veterans in protest in front of the White House and demanded equitable treatment. Together, we pleaded with America’s leaders to acknowledge the contributions of these veterans, recognize the injustice visited upon them, and act to correct this injustice. Unfortunately, the historical record remained blotted and Filipino veterans were not granted the rights they had earned and deserve."
Kristal DeKleer, spokesperson of Representative Filner, also quoted Filner as saying, “Today, I am thrilled that the 111th Congress has resolutely acted to acknowledge the Filipino veterans for their steadfast contributions to the successful outcome of World War II.
“H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, corrects this long-standing inequity, recognizes their noble service, and provides a one-time payment of $15,000 to Filipino veterans who are American citizens and $9,000 to veterans who are Philippine citizens.
“This compensation is intended to assist them in their later years and provide the dignity and honor that they earned as heroic veterans of the United States.
“This victory, however, comes with a note of sadness. While approximately 300,000 Filipinos fought under the American flag during World War II, less than 18,000 are alive today to celebrate this vindication," Filner was quoted as saying.
He added, “Just two months ago, the Filipino veteran community lost one of their most tireless advocates, Joaquin Tejada. I know that his dedication to this cause was vital and I am certain that his smile continues to shine brightly. I salute these fallen heroes.
“As we celebrate this momentous occasion, I call on all Americans to join me in remembering and honoring the Filipino veterans who fought for our freedom."
Filner recalled that it was 63 years ago that President Truman signed the Rescission Acts, which denied the Filipino veterans of World War II equal status as American veterans, stripping them of equal recognition, compensation, and benefits.
He said, “These Filipino soldiers, who swore an oath of allegiance to the United States, fought side-by-side with American soldiers under the American flag. Despite the gallant efforts of the Filipino soldiers during the war, Congress still passed the Rescission Acts, which denied these veterans their rightfully earned respect, benefits, and honor."
Out of the 18,000 Filipino veterans mentioned by Filner, 12,000 of them are believed living in the Philippines. They are going to receive the non-service-connected one-time pension of $9,000. The rest of the 6,000 are living in the United States, who will get $15,000 lump sum pay.
In 2007, the United States DVA estimated that there were about 30,000 eligible Filipino World War II veterans living in the Philippines who were entitled to receive benefits by the year 2008. This number would be reduced to about 24,000 by 2012.
These were the figures furnished by the US VA to the US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) two years ago when the US Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs were entertaining the idea of granting the Philippine-based veterans annual pension under Senate Bill 1315.
Because the Senate measure did not consider granting benefits to Filipino veterans living in the United States, the CBO estimate did not mention the estimated number of Filipino veterans living in the United States.
The 18,000 estimate of Chairman Filner was the same figure cited by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (Hawaii-Dem.), chairman of the US Senate Appropriations Committee, who defended the inclusion of benefits for Filipino veterans in The Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 also known as the Stimulus bill.
It is very likely that only those whose names are kept in the Military Records Center in Missouri and the US Veterans Affairs office are the only ones who can file a claim for the lump sum payment.
They must have “served in a variety of units, some of whom came under the direct control of the United States Armed Forces" from July 26, 1941 until the end of the World War II in 1946. - GMANews.TV
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