(Last of 2 Parts)
By Fidel V. Ramos
LAST Sunday’s piece marked the completion of my third straight year as a weekly column writer for the Manila Bulletin – without missing a single deadlineo It has been a daunting challenge and my own "Long March" of recalling, recording, researching, and ‘riting – but, all in all, a most fulfilling experience. In a certain sense, the three years could be related to the same length of time it took the Filipino-American forces and their allies to liberate the Philippines after the fall of Bataan. These were, of course, two completely different happenings, but meaningful for me, having been a participant or witness in both. The similarity lies in the successful closure to these two events, with mission accomplished!! With today’s column, I now begin my 4th year….
Let us hope the Equity Act is soon enacted into law. This week, the US House vote is expected on S. 1315 which passed by a whopping 96-1 majority last 24 April. "There are three options, but the quickest way is for the House to adopt the approved Senate version," says Jon Melegrito, communications director of NaFFAA. Congressman Bob Filner, Chair of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, agrees that his pet bill H.R. 760 which authorizes a higher scale of pensions and other benefits, may not be the preferred option and would be tougher to get passed. Being a "standalone" bill, debate on it would start from scratch.
The Philippine breakthrough
On our side of the Pacific, the signing into law by PGMA of Republic Act 9499 (Filipino WWII Veterans Pensions and Benefits Act of 2008) on 09 April, Veterans Day, provided the timely breakthrough. Senator Richard Gordon and Congresswoman Carissa Coscolluela were the principal authors of the new measure which enables Filipino veterans to continue receiving pensions and benefits from the Philippine Government in addition to those from the US
R.A. 9499 removed an earlier prohibition mandated by R.A. 6498 (April 1990) and also corrected a grave injustice done WWII veterans by our own government 18 years ago. Of the estimated 270,000 veterans of WWII, some 240,000 were recognized as "legitimate," according to the US Army Missouri Administrative Office. Today, only 18,000 Filipino veterans survive, some 6,000 of whom live in the US. The Philippine Veterans Affairs Office reports most of the survivors are now over 85 years old, with 10 dying each day on the average.
The Lorenzana letter
Last 06 February 2008, Major General Delfin Lorenzana (ret.), Head of the Philippine Embassy’s Office of Veterans Affairs, wrote Senator Larry Craig a letter in response to the latter’s objections to S. 1315 that:
Filipino WWII veterans are not US citizens; the money that will be given to them will come out from benefits of disabled US veterans; the low cost of living in the Philippines would create a new class of highincome people, and would be grossly disadvantageous to US veterans who are only given benefits to raise their income above poverty level; and, Filipinos fought for their country – hence, the Philippines should take care of them.
Lorenzana’s letter answered forcefully, point by point, thus:
"The Filipino veterans’ claim is based on the Philippines’ status as a US colony. A US law known as the Philippine Independence Act, passed by US Congress on 24 March 1934, provided for self-government to the Philippines leading to its eventual independence after a transition period of 10 years. It mandated that all citizens of the Philippines shall owe allegiance to the United States of America. The US President was granted power to call into service all military forces within the Philippine Commonwealth Government. This power was invoked and exercised by President Franklin Roosevelt when war with Japan became imminent."
Flashback to the USAFFE
Lorenzana continued:
"Filipinos who served under the US Army pursuant to President Roosevelt’s military order on 26 July 1941 were, in fact, US veterans by US definition. The Rider to the Rescission Act of 1946 (PL 79-301) was, therefore, grossly discriminatory, unfair, and unjust.
"That they fought for their country’s liberation cannot be denied. But primarily, these veterans fought in a war between US and Japan, under the US flag as part of the US Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE). Some historians argue that if the Philippines had not been US colony, it could have been bypassed by Japan in its southward drive. Because of the vagaries of history, we will never know this for sure, but the fact is, Thailand, a country not under colonial rule, was not invaded.
"Mr. Senator, you claimed that the pension benefit is too generous (5 for veterans with dependents, 0 for single veterans, and 0 for widows of veterans). What is the price of the services and sacrifices so generously given to America by these veterans and the entire Filipino nation during the Great War? They were prepared to offer the ultimate sacrifice for America. Their homeland became a battlefield in a war between Japan and the United States. An estimated one million Filipinos, combatants and non-combatants, died in that war.
"They were an indispensable part of the underground that tied up large numbers of Japanese forces. They protected American officers and soldiers who escaped capture. They provided vital intelligence and forces-inplace that facilitated the Allied counter-invasion. They provided valuable combat support in the rescue of 513 American POWs in Cabanatuan on 28 January 1945 – considered the most successful rescue in the annals of the US Army.
"Your statement that granting these benefits to the Filipino veterans is stealing money from US veterans and giving it to a foreign veteran (a Filipino) is most unfair to all veterans, Filipinos and Americans alike. They all served the US faithfully and selflessly, and it is uncharacteristic that they should be pitted against each other over benefits.
Senator Craig’s response
On 17 February Senator Craig delivered his rejoinder, extracts of which follow: "The letter I received frequently mentions Public Law 79-301, the Rescission Act of 1946, and how that unjustly stripped these Filipinos of their US veterans’ benefits. While the letter goes into great historical detail to make their case, it does not tell the whole story…. why Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946 is something important to understand. Here is part of a statement by then-Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Carl Hayden: ‘The best thing the American Government can do is to help the Filipino people help themselves. Where there was a choice between expenditures for the economic rehabilitation of the Philippines and payments in cash to Filipino veterans, I am sure it is better to spend any equal sum of money on improving the roads and port facilities. What the Filipino veteran needs is steady employment rather than depend for his living upon a monthly payment from the US’ President Roosevelt was right when he said in 1944: ‘Our character as a nation will be judged for years to come by the human understanding and the physical efficiency with which we help in the immense task of rehabilitating the Philippines.’
"I stand by my argument that the proposed pension benefit is far too generous. The benefits in S.1315 do not take into account the vast differences in costs of living between the Philippines and the U.S…. S. 1315 does not provide ‘new’ money, but instead proposes to transfer money from one account to another. Many Americans would certainly be interested to know that the account targeted to pay these Filipino veterans is a US veteran’s pension.
"By moving toward greater independence, the Philippines was also to take responsibility for its veterans. However, even with this understanding, the US has continued to assist the Philippine Government with veterans’ healthcare for the past 60 years."
A President’s promise
At the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Sydney in September 2007, PGMA managed to extract from President George W. Bush a commitment to support and sign into law a US congressional bill that would grant longdelayed pensions and other benefits to Filipino WWII veterans, including those living in the Philippineso President Bush is reported to have promised – without hesitation: "If it gets to my desk, i’ll sign it into law." Amen, and let us thank him and the U.S. government for that!
But summing it all up, in terms of the 62 years of patient effort and frustrating delay, General Lorenzana eloquently concludes: "If at all, for so many of these veterans, these benefits may be too little, too late."
Please send any comments to fvr@rpdev.org. Copies of articles are available at www.rpdev.org.
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