US official vows to help Pinoy vets

An American official has assured Filipino World War II veterans they will receive additional benefits from the US government.

US Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi, a recent Manila visitor, said US President George W. Bush has signed into law a bill seeking to give Filipino veterans benefits equal to those enjoyed by Americans.

"We will collectively collaborate with the Filipino government see what additional benefits we may provide to veterans," he said.

"So long as I am secretary, I am committed to work with the Ambassador (Francis Ricciardone), with President Arroyo, with the defense minister," he said.

Ricciardone said Principi has contributed $2 million from his agency’s budget for the acquisition of new equipment for the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

The amount covers the maintenance of equipment and a kidney dialysis center, he added.

Principi was in the country for last week’s inauguration of President Arroyo in Cebu City.

Earlier, Filipino World War II veterans had appealed to Mrs. Arroyo to urge Bush to support a bill in the US Congress seeking to provide an equitable package of benefits to 11,000 US-based and 34,000 veterans in the Philippines.

The American Coalition for Filipino Veterans (ACFV) had asked Mrs. Arroyo to urge Bush to support Senate Bill S. 68 of Hawaii Sen. Daniel Inouye (Democrat) for the passage of the "Filipino Veterans Benefits Improvement Act."

The bill had sought to allow Philippine-based veterans to receive $43 million annually in medical benefits and $100-a-month disability pension, while Filipino veterans in the US could get $17 million every year.

Last year, Bush came out in support of full medical coverage for 11,000 US-based Filipino war veterans, as provided under the "Filipino Veterans Health Care Bill," which passed the House of Representatives.

When the new Congress convened last January, Inouye, a decorated WWII veteran and the ACFV’s long-time champion on Capitol Hill, introduced Senate Bill S. 68.

Last week, the White House convinced Connecticut Rep. Rob Simmons (Republican), chairman of the House veterans affairs subcommittee on health, to introduce a new bill to include Bush’s recommendation for additional benefits for Filipino veterans.

In a letter last Jan. 22, Mrs. Arroyo asked Bush to support a bill in the US Congress, which seeks to provide a $100 monthly pension for Filipino World War II veterans in the Philippines.

Bush has already signed into law two bills seeking $16.3 million annually for the health care of 8,000 US-based Filipino veterans and $2.9 million for survivor spousal benefits for 400 widows and full compensation for 120 Philippine Scouts.

However, some 21,000 other veterans living in the Philippines were left out in the cold.

Seeking to redress this, Mrs. Arroyo asked Bush to support Inouye’s Bill S68, better known as the Filipino Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2003, which seeks $42 million for Filipino veterans in the United States and those living in the Philippines.

The National Federation of Filipino-American Associations has also pressed the US Congress to pass HR677, the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2003.–Marvin Sy