The end is near for the benefits being claimed by our surviving Filipino veterans of the Second World War. Now, in words couched in diplomatic gobbledygook, these hardy veterans are being asked to let go of their claims in exchange for cash payments of $9,000 for non-US citizens and $15,000 for US citizens.

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$9,000 FOR NON-US CITIZENS; $15,000 FOR US CITIZENS

Filipino Veterans Asked to Waive Claim in Exchange for Payment

By Romeo P. Marquez

Member, Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)

and National Press Club of the Philippines-USA.

SAN DIEGO -  Filipino World War II veterans may be seeing the end of their over six-decades-old fight for equity as a congressional committee asked them to waive their claim against the US government in exchange for lump sum payment.

"Although this is a more practical method, it is clearly not the most just or equitable, and for that I am disappointed," said Congressman Bob Filner (D-51st District), the Filipino veterans' chief advocate in Congress.

The House Veterans' Affairs Committee which Filner chairs approved a bill on Wednesday, (Sept. 17) authorizing a one-time payment to veterans of $9,000 for non-US citizens and $15,000 for US citizens.

"This bill will provide a small, yet meaningful; measure of recognition and thanks to these brave men who deserve much more," Filner said in a statement to the Philippine Village Voice.

PHILIPPINE VILLAGE VOICE - Redefining Community News
BREAKING NEWS -  Exclusive
Volume 2, Issue No. 19 / News Without Fear or Favor / . . . A community service of San Diego's Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@aol.com or at 619.265.0611) for the information and better understanding of the public. . .

An estimated 18,000 Filipino veterans are still alive out of the 260,000 who were drafted into the US military at the outbreak of the Second World War. They were stripped of benefits and other entitlements through the Rescission Act of 1946.

Various Filipino organizations and advocacy groups have been lobbying for the passage of the Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act (S.1315) before Congress takes a recess this month. The bill is stocked in the Senate.

The latest House version authored by Filner -- H.R. 6897 or the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2008 -- would also, in the words of Filner, "serve as a complete release of any claim against the United States from Filipino veterans of World War II".

"The new language would mean total surrender of legitimate veterans benefits, an abandonment of outstanding claim, " according to a group of Filipino veterans sought here for comment.

Filner had railed against a Washington-based Filipino veterans group for advocating piece-meal payments of benefits as opposed to full beneftis being demanded by another veterans group whose members are mostly in California. # # #

  (This Breaking News is credited to Romeo P. Marquez, editor, Philippine Village Voice, San Diego, California. Mailing address: P.O. Box 2118, La Jolla, CA. 92038. Volume 2, Issue no. 19, September 18, 2008).