Cuisia hopeful US to honor Pinoy vets

MANILA, Philippines - Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia Jr. is hopeful the US will grant recognition and honor to Filipino veterans of World War II.

“At the twilight of their lives, Filipino World War II veterans continue to struggle for recognition and just compensation,” he said.

In a statement, Cuisia said the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) Fund signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009 provided limited compensation of $15,000 to naturalized US citizens and $9,000 to non-US citizens.

“While this was welcomed by our aging heroes, certain procedures have resulted in the denial of a good number of applications,” he said.

Cuisia said on Feb. 18, 1946, the smoke of war had barely cleared in Manila when the US Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946, denying recognition to Filipino soldiers whom President Franklin D. Roosevelt had enlisted in the war against Japan.

The 67th anniversary of that law was last Monday, he added.

For the past 67 years, Filipino and Filipino American veterans have been in a long and arduous struggle to obtain recognition for their military service and their fair and just compensation.

Various proposals have been put forward to secure compensation and recognition for the Filipino veterans.

To date, more than 24,000 of the 43,083 applications for recognition received were denied.

Cuisia said Filipinos and Filipino-Americans must  come together and rally behind a common cause.

“As we recall the passage of PL 301-79 today, let us remember our veterans whose fight for fairness and justice remains unfinished after almost seven decades,” he said.

“It is our hope that the United States will do everything in its power to complete the work in correcting the wrongs of the past and granting the veterans the recognition and honor they deserve.”