by Rawlein G. Soberano, Ph.D.

This is the last of a 3-part series of the long journey undertaken by World War II Filipino veterans in their quiet but determined efforts to gain recognition for their military service to the United States and to remind it of the promised equal veteran status, compensation and benefits. They answered the call to bear arms because they believed in America and what it stood for. Reneging on a promise betrays the character of a nation. As this saga is brought to a close, only 19% …

by Rawlein G. Soberano, Ph.D.

Many of the Filipino veterans succumbed to old age and death without receiving anything for their military service. They and their families felt betrayed by the country they loved and believed in because of a few lawmakers who have placed this matter on the back-burner for too many years. Their delaying tactics included filibusters, employed effectively by Larry Craig as recently as a year ago, denying these veterans their just compensation merely because it was not for their home state and their immediate needs. These helpless …

by Perry Diaz
 
Sixty-three years after the Rescission Act of 1946 was passed into law, the surviving Filipino veterans of World War II finally, albeit belatedly, got their “recognition” for their military service under the US flag. And with that “recognition,” they received a one-time lump sum amount.
If there was one word to describe what they did, it was “patriotism.” Ironically, unlike their counterparts in the regular American armed forces, the Filipino veterans who fought under the command of the legendary “American Caesar” — Gen. Douglas MacArthur — were singled out …

by Rawlein G. Soberano, Ph.D.

On the Dec 8, 1941, a day after the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan attacked the Philippine Islands (composed of 7,100 islands), the sole American possession in Asia. When FDR called the Filipinos to arms to defend PI, they heeded the call and trained with obsolete weapons from World War I. FDR was their commander-in-chief; they were soldiers of the United States (just like Puerto Ricans during the Vietnam War and today), fought side-by-side with Americans, and many died protecting our core values, honor …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                       Contact:
February 13, 2009                                          Ben de Guzman 202.422.4909
www.nafve.org (Web site)                          nafve2007@gmail.com (E-mail)
U.S. Congress Passes Filipino WWII Veterans Legislation In Economic Stimulus Package
President Obama expected to sign historic bill days before 63rdanniversary of Rescission Act that first revoked U.S. veteran status for Filipino WWII veterans.
Washington, DC- The U.S. Congress today approved HR 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the economic stimulus bill, which includes legislation regarding Filipino World War II veterans. With this vote, the bill is expected to be signed by President Obama on February …

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz
Betrayal of the Filipino Veterans
Just as the U.S. House of Representatives was about to vote on S.1315 — known as the “Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007,” introduced by Sen. Daniel Inouye — a group of Filipino-Americans from San Francisco drove a polarizing wedge that could potentially impede the passage of the bill. Indeed, what was almost a certainty two weeks ago is now in jeopardy.
Sixty-two years after the infamous Rescission Act of 1946 was signed into law denying benefits to more than 200,000 Filipino veterans of …

From: Broder Van Dyke, Jesse (Akaka) [mailto:Jesse_BroderVanDyke@akaka.senate.gov]
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 1:07 PM
Subject: SENATE PASSES VETERANS BENEFITS ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Kawika Riley (Veterans’ Affairs)
April 24, 2008 …

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz
A year ago, at a summit held at the Philippine Embassy in Washington, DC, representatives of various groups of Filipino Veterans of World War II and their advocates met. The participants unanimously approved the formation of a coalition that would lobby for the passage of a full equity bill. More than 20 Filipino veteran groups and community advocates were unified under the banner of the National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE). In February 2007, they formed a steering committee and hired a staff of three legislative consultants …

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz
 

You mention HR 677 and chances are you will get varied reactions from Filipino-Americans. For those who have not heard about it, you would probably have to explain a lot of details before they could understand the issue and then ask you questions which would make you wonder if you understood what you were trying to articulate in the first place. And for those who have heard something about HR 677, watch out because you would probably hear different accounts of what it is all about.
HR 677 — …

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz 

My instant reaction would be: Hell, yes! But after really thinking about it, it is not an issue in this year’s presidential election. It has never been an election issue since the Rescission Act of 1946. I know that this is probably the boldest and perhaps the craziest reaction of a Filipino-American vis-a-vis the Filipino Veterans Equity bill.But what made me turn 180 degrees around — yeah, I flip flopped — was a “reality check.” Did any one of the presidential candidates make an issue out of HR …