Asian Journal- The Filipino-American Community Newspaper

To convey the concerns of Filipino World War II veterans to the US government, the National Alliance for Veterans Equity (NAFVE) is expected to meet with officials of the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) soon.

At the same time, the organization wants to get more detailed information on the disbursement of the lump sum payments that the Obama administration has allocated for Filipino veterans, NAFVE executive director Benjamin De Guzman said.

"We are currently looking to meet with higher-ups at the VA, including Secretary (Eric Ken) Shinseki and Assistant Secretary Tammy Duckworth," De Guzman told Asian Journal.

"More specific disaggregated information is one of our interests in meeting with the leadership of the VA," he said.

Recent data from the Center for Minority Veterans at the VA showed that of the 34,140 veterans’ claims as of June, only 3,621 or a mere 11% has been completed. Of this number, 1,250 were denied.

"We want to share some of the observations we have from the field in terms of ongoing needs of the veterans," De Guzman said.

It was reported recently that a major concern of Filipino WWII veterans, whose ages range from 80 to 90 years old, is the slow process of the US government in disbursing these veterans’ lump sum payments.

It has been five months since the US government authorized one-time lump sum payments of $15,000 each to Filipino World War II veterans who are US citizens, as well as those residing in the United States . Veterans who fought in the same war, but are currently living in the Philippines were given a smaller amount of only $9,000.

It will be recalled that during deliberations in Congress early this year, Nevada Senator John Ensign voted against giving these war veterans the same amount as those living in the United States .

Filipino-American groups questioned the vote of the Nevada Republican senator whose paternal grandfather was born in the Philippines and is half-Filipino. This makes Ensign one-eighth Filipino.

NAFVE is spearheading several Filipino-American groups that are working to give full equity to these Filipinos and their families and to bring other concerns to the US government.

It was almost 60 years ago when US President Franklin Roosevelt promised Filipinos military benefits if they fight as soldiers with the American military against the invading Japanese during World War II. However, in 1946, the US Congress passed the Rescission Act which stripped Filipinos of the benefits they were promised. Of the 66 countries allied with the United States during the war, only Filipinos were denied military benefits.

Since then, several bills have been introduced in Congress in an attempt to give full equity to these Filipino war veterans.

It was only last February, through the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, that the US government finally set aside $198 million for benefits of Filipino veterans. Of over 200,000 Filipinos who fought alongside American soldiers 60 years ago, fewer than 18,000 are alive today.

De Guzman said that NAFVE’s meeting with VA officials is expected to result in improved rapport so as to better communicate the issues of Filipino veterans.

"We look to build a better relationship with them so that we can all partner in service to all our veterans," he said. (Dymphna Calica-La Putt)

( www.asianjournal.com )

( Published on July 23, 2009 in Asian Journal Las Vegas p. A1 )