AFTER more than six decades of struggle and fighting for benefits, the Filipino veterans of World War II may now have reached the end of their long journey. This was after a provision for benefits for Filipino WWII Veterans was inserted by Senator K. Inouye in the American Recovery and Reinstatement Act of 2009 or more popularly known as President’s Obama’s Stimulus Bill.
As far back as 1941, the Philippines was considered as a protectorate of the United States. It was then that US President Roosevelt ordered that Filipino soldiers who fought against the Japanese in the Philippines would acquire US citizenship and be granted the same privileges and benefits as US soldiers. There were approximately 250,000 Filipino soldiers and guerilla fighters who bravely fought alongside with American soldiers.
However in 1946, the Recission Act was passed, deeming the Filipino soldiers as not in “active service and denied them most of their veterans benefits they were promised.
But in the early ‘90s, President Bush signed a bill that granted Filipino veterans instanst US citizenship. About 30,000 veterans came to the US, but most have tried to live off with the small pension they receive and waited for the US government to give to them what they truly deserve. Sadly, most have died or returned to the Philippines, and to date, there are only about 18,000 veterans left.
Finally, Congress has approved the Stimulus Bill that includes the Filipino veterans’ long overdue benefits.
Year after year, it was a continuing fight—a journey that will finally reach its destination. A journey that would give them hope that what was promised to them will now be fulfilled. (AJPress)
( www.asianjournal.com )
( Published on February 14, 2009 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A12 )
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