One of the sore points in the relationship between the Philippines and the USA is the failure to provide Veteran’s benefits to those Philippinos who fought in World War II. At the time, they were considered equal to US soldiers, but with Independence, their rights to pensions and to use VA hospitals was taken from them, with the idea that it would be granted from the newly independent Philippine government.
This is fine for those living in the Philippines, like my husband, who gets a small pension as a veteran. However, as World War II veterans age and medical care becomes more expensive, the main reason behind this request is to allow the aging veterans to get needed medical care.
As this ABS-CBN story relates:
The proposed measure, if approved, will benefit both the estimated 6,000 surviving World War II veterans now living in the US (about 4,000 of them in California) and the 18,000 living in the Philippines.
The benefits will include free healthcare, disability pensions, dependent indemnity and death and burial benefits. The bill will have immediate impact on veterans in the US, most forced to live off on the few hundred dollars they get from social security.
Another priviso in the bill is the Family Reunification part of the act, that would allow the children of the veterans to be eligible for American visas. The idea behind this is to allow the children to care for their aging parents now living in the USA.
Every year my husband and other World War II veterans march in the front of the city’s yearly fiesta parade, and every year the number of veterans who fought with Americans to free the Philippines is smaller. When we first married, there were a dozen strong and aging men proudly marching. Now there are only a few, and they ride in a car rather than march.
My husband, who used his Philippine veterans benefits to go to medical school, has no need for the benefits, but what about the others? Especially the others who now live in the United States?
As Rodney Jaleco writes:
Carved in marble at a corner of the World War II Memorial are the words of American Admiral Chester Nimitz: “They fought together as brothers in arms. They died together and now they sleep side by side. To them we have a solemn obligation.”
After over 60 years, the stage is now set for rectifying what many see as a terrible injustice done on thousands of Filipinos who fought in the Pacific War.
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Nancy Reyes is a retired physician living in the rural Philippines with her husband. Her website is Finest Kind Clinic and Fishmarket
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38 users commented in " It’s time to restore benefits to Philippine Veterans of World War II. "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackDear filipinas, please pay atttention and do not write to a man called Michael Jay Bulger, born June 30, 1945that been contacting many filipinos, asking to stay with them for some time for FREE…
He is married to Constance Spence Bulger in Blacklick, Ohio, he has a compulsion for paid dating sites, filipino blogs lying about his profile, age, background!!! But he is impotent in the last 20 years, and can not stay with women, he has been married six times.
He lost the house in Ohio foreclosured in jan.2006 look at http://www.lcounty.com , he went bankrupt in sept.2005 and went to kasakhstan, leaving a lady behind after some weeks. Then he moved to Panama leaving another lady with many unpaid bills, the landlord lost the apt. since he promised to pay the rents and maintenance fees.
He wrote me in Netlog, MySpace, filipinofriendfinder, amigos.com with a false profile, old picture, he never told his employer about his many financial problems in Ohio, Now he needs an innocent filipina;filipino to pay his bills so he can save for other trips abroad.
Warn your friends, scary if the immigration allow this guy in the country again, the hit-and-run impotent married lover….
thanks
Please excuse me if this in in an incorrect forum.I have a question on behalf of my wife’s grand father.He served in WW2 and recieved a letter relating he will be recognized and or recieve some benifits.There is concern however as his family name is misspelled on the letter they recieved.Is this a problem and if so how do we go about correcting it?Any help you can give will be very much apriciated. Thankyou and God bless you all.
HI sir,
I’m the one that concern the benefits of my father last WWII. And i have the problem now to claim the educational refund cause before he didn’t not use this for his children ..so how i can claim this benefits…pls help me cause as of now i don’t know how to claim it what’s the requirements for that…Am very willing to know the procedure to claim this benefit..Thank u and more power!!!!
Mr. Blanco
hi,Mr.Blanco,you didnt mention where u are claiming the educational benefit.but if u are referring in PVAO you will need to go in their office in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.find the kagitingan hall and there you will know the requirements.only one can use that educational benefit.any 4 year course will do.Gud Luck!!!
i just wanna know if the wife can still collecting the pension, even if she’s married three times. thank you!!!
hi,
i would like to inquire where i can process my grandfathers benefits, he served in world war II with the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea as Private Rifleman Unit “C.V.P. - MFAT”;Organization: Marking’s Fil-American Troops………..any assistance would be greatly and deeply appreciated.
len
dear sir,
i am a daughter of a late phil.-am. veterans (a WW11 VETERANS). my father did not have a chance to migrate in U.S.A. bec. of his condition but atleast before he died, he had a chance to become an american citizen. my question is, am i eligible to migrate in u.s.a. together with my mom? pls. reply a.s.a.p.. thank you
respectfully yours,
Helen (fr.Phils.)
Hi Sir/Madam
Good Day!
I’m a grand daughter of a veterans during WWII. I just wanna ask if any of the siblings of my late grandfather can still claim the benefit even if he died long time ago? Your info is very much appreciated. Thank you & More Power…
Sincerely,
Mirasol (Philippnes)
Hi Sir/Madam,
my dad is a usafe veteran and a scout ,unrortunately he is dying of a cancer and what assistance could we get and how to attain and where could we apply for it incase he will pass away , God forbid but because he is realyy very poorly
Respectfully yours
violy
my father is a usafe inlisted man. he is a world war II veteran. unfortunately he died 5 years ago. my i have your advise if we the siblings can have benifits coming from the newly ligislated act passed by the US congress.
thank you very much and more power.
rizal
Good Evening;
My girlfriend’s grandfather was a part of WWII, what will be the requirements for an application which leads him to claim his benefits given by the U.S? Is he going to wait for a letter containing a confirmation which he also belong to the list of phil.veterans who will receive the said benefits?
My father served in the USAFIP-NL 66th Infantry Regiment and was a POW possibly at Cabanatuan. My mom is still living and unremarried; we’d like to know if she would be entitled for her late-husband’s pension and compensation on the new passed US Veterans bill. The are both US citizens. Your help we be appreciated.
Sincerely,
fcruz
March 5, 2009
My grandfather was part of WWII, what will be the requirements for an application which leads him to claim his benefits? What will we do to know if he is in the list of the WWII?
Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Janeth
I wonder where they conduct interview right now for “equity bill benefit”. My dad needs to be interviewed so he can start processing his request asap.
Thank you
good day….im the daughter of the late teodoro tomapon,my question is:i did not avail the educational benefits can i claim the refund?my two brothers did not finish even in elementary.thank you and god bless,your reply is hightly appreciated.
i am the daughter of the late teodoro tomapon,my question is,how can i claim the educational benefits because during that time i did not know.what process or requirement to be needed.thank you and more power.i need ur answer.
I’m one of the daughter of my late dad, who was a USAFE, and the educational benefit was never use yet, my Mom is still alive. I just want to find out if it can still be of use or applying for this benefit for my daughter instead who would really need help for her education being a single Mom of five. If the grandchild can benefit, then is this okay to be use in the States? What are the requirements, since this was never process.
my late father was a US veteran who was one on that death march in capas..he died last april 15, 2000.can we still claim at US, even he was almost 10 years dead..i have already his death certificate and service record. he is suppose to go to US, but he refused to go..please tell us what we will do…
I would just like to ask.. Who Filipino Veterans are living right now ? I Just want to interview the,? Ia m 14
my father, a world war II veteran finally received his check after years of waiting but to our dismay his first name was misspelled on his check. his checks is worthless until this problem is resolved. this is a serious matter that needs immediate attention. who is responsible? who do we need to contact? needless to say we are very furious. whoever is responsible in processing these checks must insure a HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURACY! Misspelled names on checks will render it WORTHLESS! I respectfully demand an answer!
my grandfather wants to claim his benefits that the US goverment give to all the veterance of the philippines, but until now he din’t file his claim and the deadline is over is anyone can help us to submit his application for claiming the benefits…tnx & waiting for your help
my grandfather a world war II veteran applying for “the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009″ and up to present he was not able to receive any letter or confirmation from your office pertaining to her application, his name is Mangorsi R. Amintao and not Amintao R. Mangorsi as erroneously reflecting in the Certification issued by the General HeadquartesArmed Forces of the Philippines APM/ftv/Iev, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo Quezon City.
Dear Sir, my grandfather is a former US Veteran during WW II but he was so unfortunate because he did not try to receive all his benefits after the WW II until now because all his pertinent papers necessary to claim what he needs to have got burned during the incident of fire in their house long time ago, two times.Nothing was left. He could even memorize his social security number.He died last May 2003 but his wife is still alive. He he also unmarried son and a daughter.When he was still alive he’s hoping to claim his benefits. He entrusted all the processing of the reqt’s to my father.His name is Paciano Aro Ancajas but we don’t know if that is what being registered in his records, otherwise, Ponciano Ancajas could be found. We really need an immediate assistance for this since my grandmother is very old and she has already a lot of health conditions. Please help us what do we need to do with this to claim all his benefits. Your help is highly appreciated.. More power and God bless..
my father was a member of Philippine Scout World War ll Veterans, and he has a complete documents/papers to show as evidence that he is one of those people who served during World War ll. we personally appeared at PVAO office here in Cagayan de Oro city, Philippines to apply the benefits and pension but the personnel of PVAO disregards the application because my fathers named did not appeared in the book of veterans and no records. But why! my father received the equity bills last year. sir / madam, it is true? that the Philippine Scout in 1946 is a legitimate member of US Amry? if yes! pls! give me a right office to accept this kind of veterans ……thank you and more power
my uncle who was a soldier for usafe was kidnapped and burried alive by the hukbalahap in mt. province, at that time some members use the rebel movement to settle scores within the clan. my father who is only the next of kin was uneducated and lost all documents pertaining to my uncle yet a lot of folks who knows my uncle says he was a captain in usafe but also got lots of women followers because of his status and uniform. my father is dead long time ago but I want to find my uncles name declared that he was a veteran of ww11 but where should I start?
Dear Sir,
I am a married daughter of my late father Alfredo P. Roldan from Ocampo, Cam Sur in Bicol, Region 5, Philippines who undoubttedly is a WW11 veteran, who died of stroke in June 1992. Can he still enjoy his benefits even after his death? I am not very much aware of this proposed law of war veteran’s benefits but I want to present to you proof of my father’s being a USAFE soldier. I have his veteran no. etc. Please help me. Thank you.
My father was a WW11 veteran and he died a long time ago. My elder brother and I was not able to avail the educational benefits given to the direct children. Is there any chance that my nephew or the grandson of my father can avail these benefits which we were not able to enjoy while were studying. Is this possible? Please help me for the sake of my jobless brother who’s sending his only child to school. Hope to hear from somebody out there to reply for my urgent inquiry.
application for payment off accured and unccolected pension of macario c. ponteros, u.s. filipino veterance world war 2, claim no. 170092095250 and burial expenses
Some over 3,000 local Filipino soldiers of the 53rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army from the general headquarters in Baras, Rizal and we send in Manila to starting the operations for the battle for the liberation of the city included the fall of Intramuros, Ermita, Malate, Paco, Quiapo, Manila City Hall, Legislative Building in Manila, Manila Central Post Office Building and many others and help the ongoing local Filipino soldiers under the Philippine Commonwealth Army, pre-war recognized guerrillas and American troops to killing and defeating the Japanese Marines, Sailors and Army Soldiers in February 03, to March 03, 1945.
Former Army Lieutenant Daniel “Daddy Dan” Cruz Arcilla is a hero of the liberating the Filipino soldiers as a commanding lieutenant of the 53rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army for the Liberation of Manila in 1945.
UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES IN THE PHILIPPINES - NORTHERN LUZON (USAFIP-NL)
PHILIPPINE COMMONWEALTH ARMY UNITS
11TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, USAFIP-NL
14TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, USAFIP-NL
15TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, USAFIP-NL
66TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, USAFIP-NL
121ST INFANTRY REGIMENT, USAFIP-NL
FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
MILITARY POLICE BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
QUARTERMASTER BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
REPLACEMENT AND CASUALTY BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
PROVISIONAL BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
MEDICAL BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
TANK BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
LIGHT TANK BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
MEDIUM TANK BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
TANK DESTROYER BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
CRUISER TANK BATTALION, USAFIP-NL
These battles took place in Northern Luzon during the retaking of the Philippines by joint American/Philippine Commonwealth military ground troops including the local recognized guerrilla fighters
Luzon was invaded by the combined American/Philippine Commonwealth military ground troops including the local recognized guerrilla fighters on January 9th, 1945. Assaults against the Japanese mountain defenses on Luzon ended on August 15th, 1945, with the surrender of General Tomoyuki Yamashita along with 50,000 of his troops
Above battles areas are as follows:
1. SAN FERNANDO (La Union Province).
2. MANKAYAN (Northern Benguet Province).
3. BESSANG PASS (Ilocos Sur Province, approximately 7.5 miles due-west of modern day town, Cervantes).
4. TANGADAN (Ilocos Sur )rovince).
5. DUGO-APPARI (North Cagayan Province).
6. TUGUEGARAO (South Cagayan Province).
7. MAYOYAO (North Ifugao Province).
8. LOO-VALLEY-TOCUCCAN (Benguet / Ifugao Province border, approximately 7 miles due-west of modern day town, Buguias).
9. PANUPDUPAN (Northwestern Nueva Vizcaya Province, approximately 2.5 miles due-west of modern day town, Ambaguio. Located on the eastern side of Mount Pulog).
10. HAPID (Northern Nueva Vizcaya Province, possibly same location as modern day town, Solana).
NOTE: The above map was printed in 1945 by the National Geographic Society. Some towns or areas may no longer exist or be known as different names on modern day maps (and vice-versa).
My father in laws was died already but just a few days, we received his certificate of CONFIRMATION OF MILITARY SERVICE from Camp Aguinaldo. Can we get some benefits for my wife and her brother and sisters? Please advise us.
Regards’
Roger
greetings!!
my grandfather Benito Cabigas Elemino was a world war 2 pilipino veterans (USAFE),he already passed away almost 20 years ago but my grandmother didn’t receive any burial benefit.my question is ,can there be a chance to get that or there were someone collected it in behalf of my grandma coz before she died there were some people vlounter to do the processing:
please help,
thanks
Some of many British Cruiser tanks and Nazi German Tiger II tanks equipment of all local Filipino troops, officers and tank commanders under the several tank battalions of the 11th, 14th, 15th, 66th and 121st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL begins the main battle for liberation of Northern Luzon on 1945 against the Japanese troops led by General Tomoyuki Yamashita.
Founded the Battle of Bessang Pass on June 14, 1945, some of all local Filipino soldiers, officers and tank commanders under the several tank battalions of the 15th, 66th and 121st Infantry Regiment, Philippine Commonwealth Army, USAFIP-NL included the tanks of American Shermans, Chaffees and Hellcats, British Crusaders and German Tiger II tanks around the captured the town of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur and defeated against the Japanese.
hope to hear for your recommendation.thanks.
Fighting tanks of the Igorot and Cordilleran tank commanders under the several tank battalion of the 11th, 14th, 15th, 66th and 121st Philippine Commonwealth Army Infantry Regiment of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines - Northern Luzon for equipment and using the American Stuarts, Shermans, Chaffees, Hellcats and others, British Crusaders and Nazi German Tiger II tanks for the military operations in Northern Luzon and helping the American tank commanders and they defeated against the Japanese troops and tank commanders from January 09, to August 15, 1945 during the liberation.
is there such a list of survivors/applicants still awaiting compensation from the AMERICAN GOVERNMENT?
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