Posted on: Tuesday, July 22, 2003
Filipino veterans bill moves to Senate
By Vicki Viotti
Advertiser Staff Writer
Hawai'i's Filipino veterans of World War II celebrated yesterday's passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of a bill to give them access to veterans' healthcare benefits.
The bill, the Veterans Health Care Improvement Act, would give Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits to about 14,000 Filipino veterans who served in the Commonwealth Army or New Philippine Scouts and who are permanent legal residents of the United States. The legislation now will be considered by the U.S. Senate.
The bill will grant Filipino veterans health benefits that they were promised after World War II but never given. The Rescission Acts of 1946 declared that the service by Filipino nationals in the U.S. military in World War II would not be treated as recognizable military service.
Before providing the health benefits, the VA would have to certify that sufficient money is available to serve veterans at facilities nearest their home, said U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawai'i.
"This bill is a historic step forward toward the full justice we've been seeking for so long," Abercrombie said in a written statement. "It is time for America to keep faith with Filipino veterans.
"Despite their equal service, our Filipino veterans still do not enjoy equal benefits with the American troops with whom they fought side by side."
In Hawai'i, veteran Joe Gonzales said he's heartened by the passage and believes there is enough support in the Senate to ensure final approval. Gonzales is president of the World War II Fil-Am Veterans, Hawai'i chapter, which has an estimated 2,000 members. The chapter met Sunday and learned then that the passage was imminent, he said.
"Everybody is very happy," he said. "In the past, the government was only supporting (Filipino veterans) who were wounded. Those who continued to fight, they were forgotten."
The Bush administration has expressed its support of benefits in meetings with Philippines president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Gonzales added.
