Filipinos seek formal acknowledgment for WWII vets

DURING World War II, more than 250,000 Filipinos signed up to fight alongside the United States of America.

Nearly 70 years later, many remain unsatisfied with the lack of formal recognition of Filipinos who volunteered for the war.

“It’s very painful for us,” said Arturo Garcia, national coordinator of Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV). “We have been unrecognized for the past 68 years.”

On November 11, Veterans Day, JFAV marched several blocks along Hollywood Boulevard in honor of Filipino veterans and their relatives. The organization has done this for 14 years also because of broken promises made to Filipinos.

Philippine soldiers who fought in the war were promised full veteran benefits, which were later withdrawn when former President Harry S. Truman signed the Recission Act in 1946. Under this legislation, Filipino veterans would not be “deemed active service for purposes of any law of the United States conferring rights, privileges, or benefits,” with the exception of those who were maimed or separated from active service due to physical disability.

Garcia said 800 people from 30 organizations attended the march, including some of different ethnicities.

“It is important to tell the people that we have multinational support,” Garcia said.

Another organization, The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project, is pushing for a Congressional Gold Medal for Filipino veterans to formally acknowledge their important service.

“It’s time the Filipinos get recognized for their service in World War II and a lot has to do with what happened in Leyte,” retired Army Major General Eldon Regua told an audience at a San Francisco Public Library event that honored Fil-Am WW II veterans.

Garcia said JFAV also supports the push for a gold medal, though he would prefer to focus on passing the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2013, which would recognize the service of Philippine veterans and reinstate their benefits.

Another hope JFAV is holding onto is that President Barack Obama will sign an executive order to recognize Filipino veterans. Although benefits were denied, eligible Filipino veterans who applied for The Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund received a lump sum payment of $9,000 (for non-US citizens) or $15,000 (for US citizens).

These soldiers were also honored for their service by Former President Bill Clinton in Proclamation 6943 in 1996.

As the number of living Filipino veterans continues to dwindle with each passing year, Garcia said the battle will not cease even if the last veteran perishes, as living relatives of these soldiers will keep pushing forward.

“We will continue this fight,” he said.

(www.asianjournal.com)

(Las Vegas November 13-19, 2014 Sec. A pg.3)