Too little too late, and a slap

The original requirement for the old, debilitated, and mostly non-ambulant World War II Filipino veterans to appear personally at designated Philippine Veterans Administration Office (PVAO) nationwide, to file their benefit claims as rider under the Feb. 17, 2009 US Economic Stimulus Package, turned out as very pathetically revealing.

Repeat, pathetically revealing, as to evoke unshed tears in anger - not pity for these old decadent heroes, but a feeling of insult for such very belated, ungracious act - for the "ugly" Americans' refusal to recognize and honor with propriety their "little brown brothers".

The $198 M pittance handout from Pres. Barack Obama's $878 B "stimulus" fund isn't really intended to do justice to the Fil-Am veterans. It's but a sore thumb rider authored by Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye as the bill was discussed hurriedly by the US Senate.

If not for Filipino-friendly Inouye who had long advocated for Filipino veterans - but always failed muster before his colleagues - there could be none such pittance for the United States Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE), Philippine Scouts, and some recognized guerilla veterans at all.

In fairness to Pres. GMA who side-tripped to USA after the Davos, Switzerland summit, she did so on US Congress invitation to its National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. GMA was seated beside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who "later arranged for her to meet with key legislators on Capitol Hill". Obviously, GMA pushed for inclusion of Filipino vets benefits into the Obama stimulus package. Incidentally, the many Congress bills on such benefits had failed to pass muster, the last one in the last year of Pres. Bush.

Good that Inouye, the WW II now-handicapped old vet, hastily sponsored an amendment on the floor. Despite opposition, the gutsy Inouye bulldozed the $198 M war benefit as one-time grant of $15,000 for Fil-Am vets living in USA, and $9,000 for those in the Philippines. At the dollar-peso exchange rate at P49 to the dollar, it's P735T and P441T, respectively.

Providential, or otherwise, because of the "personal appearance" of the Fil-Am vets, the nation got shocked at how pitiable are the surviving heroes as the media took their photos at various PVAO venues. Mostly mid-octogenarians, their physical ill-health and fragile mobility are stunning sight to behold.

Before then, like in historical occasions, only some vets still hale and hearty took part in programs/parades in fading uniforms, still looking spry and agile, still snappy with hand salutes. But now, most of them are a wasted lot, very frail in wheelchairs, hard in sight and hearing, and curved like letter C sans any military posture.

No, the recent American gesture isn't a recognition of heroes. And without being ingrates, to us the Obama "rider" is not even blessingly serendipitous. The way it was granted, and the disgraceful manner it was inserted in a legislation not germane to any veterans bill, bespeak rank insult to Filipinos as if they were bereft of feelings and respect.

Just count with your fingers how many US presidents came after F.D. Roosevelt had conscripted the Filipino youth into the US Army. None had the statesmanship, nay, even common justice, to recognize properly the Filipino soldiers' role in the American war against the Japs. Indeed, Bataan and Corregidor, the Death March, and the various guerilla heroisms, and the bloody battles were fought for the Americans as well.

And it took more than 64 years after the "Missouri" surrender formalities at Tokyo Bay, to do "forced" justice to the Filipino heroism and sacrifices. But more than that, the disgraceful and insulting manner the pittance has been inveigled in a questionable rider is overlooked in the euphoria of the moment. It's not openly brought out that the American pseudo-kindness isn't truly a recognition, much less an accolade. It's like a sloppy hand salute with the left hand.

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