Posted on: Friday, June 14, 2002

Mink seeks benefits for Filipino veterans

By Susan Roth
Advertiser Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — Filipinos who fought alongside American soldiers in World War II should receive full veterans' health benefits as "a matter of simple justice," Hawai'i Rep. Patsy Mink said yesterday.

"More than any individual benefit, nothing is more important than getting that status as a veteran who served the nation," Mink told the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health.

"It's been 57 years since the war ended. These constituents are aging into their 80s. We must act, or it will be too late," she said. "It's already too late for many of them."

Mink has sponsored legislation that would allow Filipino veterans to access the government's Medi-care health program for senior citizens. But she said she was pleased to co-sponsor a new bill by Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., that would provide full veterans' healthcare benefits for the 14,000 surviving Filipinos who served in the 1940s. About 5,000 of them live in Hawai'i.

Yesterday's hearing on the bill provided an emotional forum for Mink and several other lawmakers to discuss the issue.

They were joined by Philippines Ambassador Albert Del Rosario, Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi, actor and Filipino activist Lou Diamond Phillips and representatives of several veterans' groups. The audience of more than 100 was full of Filipino veterans and members of the Philippines' Legislature.

Though the Philippines' status as a U.S. colony was almost over in 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt called on Filipinos to serve with U.S. Armed Forces in the Pacific during the war. Hundreds were wounded defending their homeland, tortured as prisoners of the Japanese or died.

But in 1946, Congress denied Filipinos' all rights, privileges and benefits of U.S. war veterans. Since then, Filipino veterans have received some benefits, but many lawmakers continue to fight for full back pay and status.

Sen. Dan Inouye, D-Hawai'i, who has championed the cause for decades, was unable to testify at the hearing. In his written testimony submitted for the record, he noted that he recently introduced a companion bill in the Senate.

"As an American, I believe the treatment of Filipino World War II veterans is bleak and shameful," Inouye said in his statement. "It is time that we, as a nation, recognize our longstanding history and friendship with the Philippines. Heroes should never be forgotten or ignored. Let us not turn our backs on those who sacrificed so much."