Heck promotes bill to pay Filipino World War II vets for service

Filipino-American veterans got a glimmer of hope that they will finally be compensated for their World War II service after Rep. Joe Heck said Monday he has introduced a bill to compel the Department of Veterans Affairs to accept certain proof-of-service papers.

"They're not spring chickens any more," Heck, R-Nev., told a gathering at a Las Vegas health care facility where six veterans from the local Filipino community sat in the front row. They were in their late teens or 20s when they volunteered to fight with U.S. soldiers nearly 70 years ago.

One, Silverio S. Cuaresma of Las Vegas, was a 30-year-old second lieutenant, according to an April 22, 1943, roster for the Pangasinan-Tarlac Military District that lists him as the No. 7 officer among 85 soldiers, an intelligence officer who led guerrilla raids against Japanese forces in Luzon.

Heck's announcement stirred the 100-year-old Cuaresma, who said the bill gives him hope, but he still has doubts that the compensation won't be delayed by red tape again. "It must be done right away," Cuaresma said.

Heck said, "Some of the people who make decisions say if we wait long enough, we won't have to pay. That's not right. So we're going to try to make sure we get them what they're due while they're still around to enjoy it."

Like more than 24,000 others, Cuaresma's claim was denied because the VA's Manila office and the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis don't recognize guerrilla rosters and other Filipino military papers they submitted for their claims. Unlike Cuaresma, many missed the Feb. 16, 2010, filing deadline. Some were denied because their file lacked a single document.

Heck's bill, introduced Friday, directs the secretary of Veterans Affairs to accept the foreign documents and directs the VA secretary to accept one valid document, rather than requiring multiple proofs.

That would allow U.S. citizens a one-time, $15,000 benefit as promised under the American Recovery and Re-investment Act of 2009. Those living in the Philippines could receive $9,000.

"The money is just sitting there. These men deserve it. They've earned it, and we've got to get it to them," Heck said, noting that there is $40 million in the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

The bill also extends the period that eligible veterans can apply for compensation and mandates that the secretary of the Army cooperate with the VA in determining their proof of service.

Heck's bill is more narrowly tailored than a similar one that Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., introduced in the Senate on Sept. 12. Heller's bill, the Filipino Veterans Act, would require that the Defense Department use historians to help document the Filipino soldiers' service.

Heck said he hopes the House will pass his bill as soon as possible.

"I try to remind everybody that time is of the essence," he said.

Contact reporter Keith Rogers at krogers@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0308.

Trending topics:

• Filipino-American vets
• Keith Rogers
• Las Vegas
• military
• Nellis Air Force Base
• Rep. Joe Heck
• Silverio Cuaresma
• Yucca Mountain

Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. 
   Nathan Bareman Oct. 18, 2012 | 1:26 a.m. Report Abuse

   @Toshiko McCurdy--let me help u out. the political party to support is the party of self reliance. ur history lesson is incomplete and incoherent. the Philippines is a sovereign state. check out the bataan death march...

2. 
   Toshiko McCurdy Sep. 28, 2012 | 6:09 a.m. Report Abuse

   I am going back to sleep. I meant Berkley supporters recommended Heck, not Heller. Recall Titus lost.

3. 
   Toshiko McCurdy Sep. 28, 2012 | 5:23 a.m. Report Abuse

   On my previous comment: What I meant was both offices seem to exchange thier aides who can help veterans, Now you know why I am confused on political affiliation of those two. I recall a few Berkley supporters recommending Heller on Hella election time.

4. 
   Toshiko McCurdy Sep. 26, 2012 | 12:38 p.m. Report Abuse

   @Vegas Tea Room: I forgot to mention that I always enjoy any of your comments, Now I am writing funny story about Heck and Berkley. Before Heck became a candidate, there was a talkative youg girl who used to help Latinos and Veterans, Asians, etc. She disappeared and next thing I noticed was she was in Heck;s campaign office. After last Christmas, she disappeared. I believe she works for that new Veterans; facility in N. Las Vegas. She informed me that if I have problems or delayed tactics of VA offices, I can get help from new VA facility. I am a widow of a Vietnam DAV Both of them do not show their pilitical color at all -exchnaging their aide? Strange but these two, which one is Rpublican> Which one is Democrat?, I wonder, too.

5. 
   Toshiko McCurdy Sep. 26, 2012 | 12:11 p.m. Report Abuse

   In Asia, Phillipins - USA territory. Hong Kong, Malayasia (United Kingdom), Dutch EIast Indies. USA had been promising to make Phillipines independent after 10 years over and over. Some people joined USA Military Force. Japan had big idea that all Asia shoud belonged to Japan. However, Japan was attacking USA Military fForces, UK, Dutch there. Japan never possessed Phillipines. After WWII, these countries were freed from European conqueror countries. Now you see Phillipines forces did not work for its independence afgainst the Master Country (USA). It will not pay anything to Phillipino American veter4ans.

6. 
   Toshiko McCurdy Sep. 26, 2012 | 11:13 a.m. Report Abuse

   @Vegas Tea Roo,: When veterans' causes are on topic, he goes with Berkley all the time. I think because he is a war veteran himself. He forgets he is a republicam=n. Same with cause for Nevada. Both Berkley and Heck forget their political parties. Both of them behave like statemen, not politicians. I recall both of them tried to make visa by foreign visitors to expand to 36 months.' That was dead because it is already done. Another one was ;bring US documents archives library to top of Yucca instead of making Yucca as nation;s nuclear dump site.' Well, these archives are handled by record department with new reading and copying technology with new data base storing techniques. Even so they are huge. Heck and Berkley claimed it is cheaper than nuclear related deseas hospitals all over in Nevada/ Yucca is USA woned. I don't know if the talks still woking or not. Yucca promoters claimed digging Yucca and 70,000 tons of waste yearly to bury there brings more employment, Anyway, both forget their parent political partys' wish. Just like B erkley's office, his office has aides who handle complaining by people. Free cookies and tea or coffee (I get tea). Visit his office with any complaining. Both office even try to understand my broken English speech. My speech is worse than my writings,

7. 
   Vegas Tea Room Sep. 26, 2012 | 9:52 a.m. Report Abuse

   Wow, and I thought he was against earmarks for special groups. What is he, a Democrat?

8. 
   Damon Schuetze Sep. 25, 2012 | 11:07 p.m. Report Abuse

   By all means, if they were Americans fighting, they should be paid. The way I read the article, it seemed to me they were Filipinos who joined with the Americans for a common goal of defeating the Japanese. If that is the case, I do not understand the basis for them being paid by America. I did not know that we that we controlled the Phillipines until the end of the war, but did some research and confirmed this. I guess this makes it more of a grey area in my mind. I only said that Japan should pay reparations rhetorically, I did not mean it. It is just an interesting issue and I learned from the other comments. Thank you for sharing.

9. 
   Toshiko McCurdy Sep. 25, 2012 | 6:50 p.m. Report Abuse

   Heck is pushing for Fillipino American, the article states. They are Am4erican veterans. Damon, Read carefully. The bill is not stating Phillipino in Phillipin. They fought for USA. They were not Phillipino forces in Phillipin.

10. 
    Toshiko McCurdy Sep. 25, 2012 | 6:08 p.m. Report Abuse

    @Damon: Japan lost WW II Are you suggesting Japan should pay all WW II USA soldiers? Are there any precidence? After WW I was over or any war?

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