The US government has already paid nearly P5.8 billion to Filipino and Filipino-American World War II veterans under the 2009 Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) Law.

In a statement, the US Embassy in Manila Veterans Affairs Office said that more than 10,000 applications of Filipino and Filipino-American World War II veterans have been approved as of last Friday.

than 10,000 World War Two Filipino and Fil-Am veterans for new, one-time benefits created by the 2009 Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation“As of November 20, the US Embassy’s Veterans Affairs Office has approved the applications of more law.

“These qualified veterans were paid a total of nearly P5.8 billion,” the US Embassy said in a statement.

“These one-time payments are all new benefits paid under a law passed by the US Congress and signed by President [Barack] Obama in February 2009 to recognize the service of qualified veterans. All claims for this one-time benefit filed by February 16, 2010 will be adjudicated, and every application is handled expeditiously so that qualified veterans receive their payments as quickly as possible,” it said.

Based on the website of the US Embassy Veterans Affairs Office, there were 33,827 claims received as of Nov. 1, 2009 and 12,714 applications processed. Of the more than 12,000 processed applications, 4,801 are from non-US citizens and 4,625 are from Filipino veterans with US citizenship.

There were still 21,113 pending claims as of the said date.

The US Embassy meanwhile emphasized that there is no “master list” of eligible veterans for the said benefit.

“Each claim is unique and decided on its own merits. All veterans who feel they may be eligible are encouraged to apply. The application process is free and simple, and there is no need to pay anyone to assist in completing the form, which can be mailed to the US Embassy,” it said. “These new payments are in addition to previous and continuing payments for these same veterans, and many others, including family members.”

“Overall, the Embassy’s Veterans Affairs Office pays more than P800 million per month in benefits to veterans in the Philippines. Nearly half of that goes to Filipino WWII veterans or their survivors – and this is separate from the one-time benefits provided for eligible veterans,” the US Embassy said.

Those who have yet to receive their claims in the Visayas may go to the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office in Cebu City on January 14, 2010 while those in Mindanao can proceed to the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office in Davao City, Davao del Sur on February 11, 2010.

The US Veterans Affairs Office representatives will accept claims from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the said dates.

Filipino veterans have only until February 16, 2010 to file their claims for the FVEC benefit.

The benefit is among the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 passed by the US Congress and signed into law by Obama on February 17, 2009.

Under the said law, the services of Filipino World War II veterans are formally recognized as active military service in the US Armed Forces.

The US government has approved US $198 million for the benefit of all eligible Filipino World War II veterans.

A one-time lump-sum payment of US$15,000 is given to eligible Filipino World War II veterans with US citizenship and US$9,000 to non-US citizen veterans.