DFA chief calls for review of cases of over 24,000 Pinoy war vets

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Albert del Rosario on Thursday called for the review of the cases of 24,385 Filipino veterans whose applications for lump compensations under the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) were disappoved.

Del Rosario made the call in a meeting at the DFA headquarters in Pasay City with United States (US) congressmen, including Representatives Jeff Miller Gus Bilirakis, Timothy Walz, Michael Michaud and Josiah Bonner.

Miller is the chairman of the US House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs and supports Philippine advocacies in the US Congress, particularly the SAVE Our Industries Act Bill and the Philippine position in the West Philippine Sea.

Del Rosario asked Miller and his delegation to help ease the requirements for Filipino Second World War veterans to qualify for the FVEC.

The DFA chief particularly cited the requirement of the National Personnel Records Center that the names of FVEC applicants should appear in both the Roster of Troops and Discharge List of the United States Army at the end of World War II.

Of 43,083 Filipino veterans who filed claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, only 18,698 are in both the Roster of Troops and the Discharge List that the US Army came up with at the end of the Second World War.

In 2009, President Barack Obama approved a one-time lump sum of $15,000 to Filipino veterans who have become US citizens and $9,000 for those who retained their Philippine citizenship as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

US National Personnel Records Center requires that the names of applicants should appear in both lists.

The claims of disqualified were rejected because their names were either not in the lists or are only in one of the lists.

The FVEC Act was passed in 2009 as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and provides for a lump sum compensation to Filipino veterans of World War II in the amount of US$ 9,000 for non-US citizens and US$ 15,000 for US citizens.

Miller and his delegation are in Manila on a four-day visit to assess the activities of the medical facilities managed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.
- with Michaela del Callar VVP, GMA News

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