HONOLULU (AP) _ World War II may be long gone, but many Filipinos who fought with the U.S. continue to battle for benefits enjoyed by their American counterparts.
A U.S. Senate committee heard testimony on Wednesday in Washington in support of a measure that would extend veterans status to all Filipino veterans who fought under the command of the U.S. armed forces.
"In the 62 years since the end of the Second World War, Filipino veterans have worked tirelessly to secure the veterans status they were promised when they agreed to fight under U.S. command in defense of their homeland and to protect U.S. interests in the region," Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, said in his opening statement.
"Today, I am happy to say, many Filipino veterans enjoy eligibility to benefits and health care services as U.S. veterans," he said. "However, as our distinguished witnesses here today will remind us, there is still work to be done in order to extend these eligibilities to all of those who served alongside the United States military during World War II."
The Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007 was sponsored by Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, who lost an arm while fighting in Italy in World War II and was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery in 2000.
"As an American, I believe the treatment of Filipino World War II veterans is bleak and shameful," Inouye testified. "It is time that we as a nation recognize our long-standing history and friendship with the Philippines."
Willy Gaa, the Philippine ambassador to the United States, urged passage of the measure.
Gaa said his government maintains Filipino soldiers who fought and served under the U.S. Army during the war, specifically during the period between July 1941 and October 1945, are U.S. veterans and are therefore entitled to all benefits due U.S. veterans.
"They fought valiantly, bravely and with uncommon courage," he said. "They went into combat against great odds and often lacking the support that they had been promised."
According to Gaa, of the 470,000 Filipino veterans reported in 1946, fewer than 20,000 are alive today _ 13,000 in the Philippines and 7,000 in the United States.
"Those who remain have very little time left. Many are sick and infirm," he said.
Art A. Caleda, 83, a Filipino veteran and naturalized American citizen who is president of the WWII Fil-Am Veterans and Ladies Auxiliary Hawaii Chapter, said the U.S. has ignored the Filipinos' military service.
"While soldiers from 61 other nations who fought under the American flag received their highly deserved benefits, we, the Filipino veterans, were singled out for exclusion," he said.
AP-NY-04-12-07 0113EDT
Copyright 2007 Associated Press
