To: President Donald Trump, The Hawaii State House, The Hawaii State Senate, Governor David Ige, and The United States Senate
67 Years Overdue: Full Equity for Filipino World War II Veterans
We hereby petition the 113th US Congress to introduce and pass a bill similar to the HR 210, “The Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011,” that will provide Filipino WW II veterans, their widows and children, full recognition of their US military services and benefits equal to their American counterparts
WHEREAS, US President Franklin Roosevelt commissioned 250,000 Filipino soldiers to defend the Philippines, an American territory, during WW II against Japanese Imperial Forces;
WHEREAS, US President Franklin Roosevelt promised the Filipinos, who were American nationals before and during the war, full recognition of US military services and equal military benefits as their American counterparts;
WHEREAS, the Rescission Act of the US Congress in 1946 took away full recognition of the US military services and full benefits of the Filipinos out of the 66 allied nationalities who served the US Armed Forces during WW II;
WHEREAS, the US Congress for the second time in history, singled out the Filipino veterans in the Enhanced GI Bill of 2008, not to receive full recognition and full benefits;
WHEREAS, there are less than 41,000 surviving veterans with an average age of 92, and at least ten die each day without seeing the light of full recognition and full benefits as American veterans;
WHEREAS, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-CA-14th District introduced equity bill in the last Congress with 96 co-sponsors, and the first attempt at similar bill dates back 20 years ago.
WHEREAS, the US Congress approved a lump-sum benefit in 2009 that disqualified 24,000 Filipino veterans and most widows, and forfeited claim for other benefits like lifetime monthly pension;
WHEREAS, the only way to rectify 67 years of non-recognition, racial discrimination, and injustice to the Filipino veterans is through the granting of unconditional recognition and full compensation for their US military services.
WHEREAS, US President Franklin Roosevelt commissioned 250,000 Filipino soldiers to defend the Philippines, an American territory, during WW II against Japanese Imperial Forces;
WHEREAS, US President Franklin Roosevelt promised the Filipinos, who were American nationals before and during the war, full recognition of US military services and equal military benefits as their American counterparts;
WHEREAS, the Rescission Act of the US Congress in 1946 took away full recognition of the US military services and full benefits of the Filipinos out of the 66 allied nationalities who served the US Armed Forces during WW II;
WHEREAS, the US Congress for the second time in history, singled out the Filipino veterans in the Enhanced GI Bill of 2008, not to receive full recognition and full benefits;
WHEREAS, there are less than 41,000 surviving veterans with an average age of 92, and at least ten die each day without seeing the light of full recognition and full benefits as American veterans;
WHEREAS, Rep. Jackie Speier, D-CA-14th District introduced equity bill in the last Congress with 96 co-sponsors, and the first attempt at similar bill dates back 20 years ago.
WHEREAS, the US Congress approved a lump-sum benefit in 2009 that disqualified 24,000 Filipino veterans and most widows, and forfeited claim for other benefits like lifetime monthly pension;
WHEREAS, the only way to rectify 67 years of non-recognition, racial discrimination, and injustice to the Filipino veterans is through the granting of unconditional recognition and full compensation for their US military services.
Why is this important?
On July 26, 1941, six months before the outbreak of World War II, US President Franklin Roosevelt issued an executive order that placed the Philippine Commonwealth troops under the command of the United States Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE). This move made the Philippines, then a US colony, the largest American military garrison outside of the United States.
But despite this historical fact, the US Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946 that stripped the Filipinos their right and privileges as American veterans by stating that “Their war record were deemed inactive.” With this Rescission Act of 1946, more than 250,000 Filipino soldiers who fought as USAFFE, guerillas and troops of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1944-1945 and as US army soldiers lost their American Veterans status.
For the last 67 years, Filipino WW II veterans have been singled out and denied their rights by our government and left without benefits or recognition after having been commissioned to fight a war in an American territory. They bravely fought side by side with American allies during World War II and have been unjustly excluded in the GI Bill of 2008 and GI Bill of 1944, which recognized and granted full benefits to 65 allied nationalities EXCEPT the Filipinos. Only 41,000 Filipino veterans are still living out of the 250,000 who fought during World War II. With a median age of 90, it is with the greatest urgency that the Filipino and Hawaiian communities demand our leaders to rectify this gross injustice. At least ten veterans die each day without seeing the light of full recognition. Full equity is long overdue.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorized the release of a one-time, lump-sum payment to eligible WW II Filipino veterans ($15,000 for those living in the US and $9,000 for those in the Philippines). While 18,698 were granted these sums, more than 24,000 Filipino veterans were denied of their claims. The worst part is that the same number of widows was also denied.
A legislative bill introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier, The Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011 or HR 210, gained the support of 96 cosponsors in Congress and direct endorsements of R-Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of House Committee of Veterans Affairs, and House Democratic leaders Reps. Nancy Pelosi and James Clyburn. Despite garnering a high number of cosponsors, this bill did not pass. The veterans, their widows and family, and members of Justice for Filipino American Veterans have been lobbying for the last 20 years in Congress.
For more information, email [email protected].
But despite this historical fact, the US Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946 that stripped the Filipinos their right and privileges as American veterans by stating that “Their war record were deemed inactive.” With this Rescission Act of 1946, more than 250,000 Filipino soldiers who fought as USAFFE, guerillas and troops of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1944-1945 and as US army soldiers lost their American Veterans status.
For the last 67 years, Filipino WW II veterans have been singled out and denied their rights by our government and left without benefits or recognition after having been commissioned to fight a war in an American territory. They bravely fought side by side with American allies during World War II and have been unjustly excluded in the GI Bill of 2008 and GI Bill of 1944, which recognized and granted full benefits to 65 allied nationalities EXCEPT the Filipinos. Only 41,000 Filipino veterans are still living out of the 250,000 who fought during World War II. With a median age of 90, it is with the greatest urgency that the Filipino and Hawaiian communities demand our leaders to rectify this gross injustice. At least ten veterans die each day without seeing the light of full recognition. Full equity is long overdue.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorized the release of a one-time, lump-sum payment to eligible WW II Filipino veterans ($15,000 for those living in the US and $9,000 for those in the Philippines). While 18,698 were granted these sums, more than 24,000 Filipino veterans were denied of their claims. The worst part is that the same number of widows was also denied.
A legislative bill introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier, The Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011 or HR 210, gained the support of 96 cosponsors in Congress and direct endorsements of R-Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman of House Committee of Veterans Affairs, and House Democratic leaders Reps. Nancy Pelosi and James Clyburn. Despite garnering a high number of cosponsors, this bill did not pass. The veterans, their widows and family, and members of Justice for Filipino American Veterans have been lobbying for the last 20 years in Congress.
For more information, email [email protected].