Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

MANILA (AP) - Filipinos who fought alongside US soldiers during World War II said Wednesday they will accept whatever compensation benefits Washington offers but will still seek the same recognition and treatment given to American veterans.

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the "Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2008" that would make one-time payments of US$15,000 to Filipinos who are US citizens and US$9,000 to non-US Filipino veterans.

"Whatever the Americans give, the Filipinos will receive," said retired Colonel Francisco San Miguel, secretary general of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines. "We will still seek equal treatment," he said.

Filipino veterans have been clamoring for decades for the same benefits received by their American comrades who fought the Japanese.

The US Senate passed a bill on veterans' affairs in April that provided additional pensions for many of the surviving veterans but has not acted on the House legislation. The senators could either approve the House version or hold a joint committee to work out differences before a final version is signed into law by the US president.

Japan invaded the Philippines, then a US colony, in December 1941.

When Filipinos were conscripted into the US Army they were promised full benefits as veterans. But after the war the US Congress reversed the promise in the Rescissions Acts of 1946.

Veterans who began receiving benefits before the Rescissions Acts continued to receive them.

Benefits for other veterans, many of whom fought in the Philippine jungles in US uniforms and were forced by Japanese captors on the so-called Bataan Death March with their American comrades, were discontinued because they were deemed not to have been on active duty.

San Miguel, 81, said Filipino veterans "are getting older and they are dying one by one."

"What the Americans plan is when you die, too bad for your family. Only the living are going to receive benefits," he said.

Teodoro Torres, a 91-year-old former sergeant from Batangas province who survived the Bataan Death March, said he currently receives about US$1,000 in a monthly disability pension. His one-time payment under the US House legislation would be equal to only nine months of his pension.

Cesario Canlas, an 83-year-old former wartime guerrilla, said he would agree to the latest US offer. He receives only US$106 in a monthly pension.

The Bataan Death March started after US forces surrendered in Bataan province west of Manila in April 1942. Japanese troops force marched an estimated 70,000 men 65 miles (105-kilometers) to a prison camp. Only 54,000 survived.

< Prev		Next >