Make Peace With Filipinos Who Served U.S.

More than 70,000 Filipino veterans of World War II continue to be denied U.S. military benefits, although they fought alongside U.S. Army GIs defending the Philippines.

Now, in the twilight of their lives, these aging veterans want to be granted benefits as a last wish. It is more a matter of honor and patriotic pride than of money, and less for themselves than for the sake of their children’s and grandchildren’s dignity and self-respect.

Indeed, today several hundred of these brave veterans from all over the U.S., innocent victims of unconstitutional discrimination, plan to chain themselves to the White House gates to protest this long-standing injustice. There, dressed in uniform, carrying the American flag and singing “The Star-Spangled Banner,” they will reenact the Bataan Death March.

I’ll be marching, too, for this demonstration will kick off the first gathering of a new coalition, the National Filipino-American Empowerment Conference.

The history of these veterans is clear-cut. In 1941, the Filipino soldiers who answered President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s mobilization call were U.S. nationals, because the Philippines was a U.S. territory, ceded by Spain at the turn of the century to end the Spanish-American War.

In 1942, Congress expressed America’s appreciation and gratitude for the foreign soldiers recruited for military service and granted immediate U.S. citizenship to all those who applied for it.

But after the war, the U.S. reneged on its promise of citizenship, yielding to pressure from the new Philippine government. President-elect Manuel L. Quezon wanted to avoid an exodus of Filipino soldiers to the U.S. on the eve of Philippine independence--July 4, 1946.

Adding insult to injury, Congress in 1946 passed the Rescission Act, denying full benefits to Filipino veterans--benefits that had been granted to all World War II U.S. veterans, home-grown or foreign. Under this act, only if the veterans had suffered disability, illness or death in action were they or their families permitted pension, hospital or death benefits.

Worse still, those Filipino veterans who qualified for a pension received only half the amount granted American veterans. The reason given was that the Philippines had a lower standard of living than the U.S. Home loan guarantees were also denied.

In 1990, in approving the most comprehensive overhaul of immigration laws in 25 years, Congress at last included a provision allowing Filipino World War II veterans to apply for U.S. citizenship. Since then, about 28,000 Filipino veterans have become U.S. citizens.

Congress can right the wrongs committed against Filipino veterans by approving a bill that has been introduced every year since 1987 but has never reached a vote: the Filipino Veterans Equity Act. The bill seeks to restore full military benefits to the Filipino veterans, the same benefits accorded to all other veterans, including pensions, medical and burial benefits and home loan guarantees.

Of the 240,000 Filipino soldiers who survived World War II, only these 70,000 are left, at an average age of 75. Many are in failing health. On the whole, they have inadequate medical insurance.

It is time to set aside this decades-old policy of discrimination. After 51 years, the United States must make good on the promise by Presidents Roosevelt and Truman that every soldier who fought loyally and valiantly under the American flag, American and foreigner alike, would receive full GI benefits. It is time we honor these heroes.