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Veterans may file in 14 offices
US authorities assure quick action on claims
War vets can go to 14 sites in RP to claim benefits
By JOSEPH G. LARIOSA
CHICAGO, Illinois – Filipino World War II veterans can claim their benefits in 14 various offices of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) in the Philippines, according to a press release issued Wednesday by the office of Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (Dem.-HI), chairman of the US Senate Veterans Affairs committee.
Jesse Broder Van Dyke, press secretary of Akaka, issued a press release, quoting the US Embassy in Manila, identifying the sites and dates where veterans can go to apply for their benefits from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. American authorities have assured smooth and quick action on the war veterans’ claims.
The benefits that were included in The Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (Dem.-HI), US Senate Appropriations Committee chair, is being facilitated for distribution because most of the recipients are aged between 85 and 90 and are very sickly.
Meanwhile, Vice Consul Roberto T. Bernardo of the Philippine Consulate in Chicago, Illinois was informed by Philippine Ambassador to the United States Willie C. Gaa that Rep. Bob Filner (Dem.-Calif.), chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, will be hosting a reception on Wednesday, Feb. 25, for Filipino war veterans at the Veterans’ Affairs Committee Hearing Room (Room 335, Cannon House Office Building) at the Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
Filner, co-chairman of the Philippines-United States Congressional Friendship Caucus, has expressed the wish that Filipino-American leaders attend the reception.
Aside from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) Central Office at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center at North Avenue, Quezon City, where veterans can apply from Feb. 19 to 27, 2009 and from Feb. 19 to 20, 2009, respectively, the veterans can also visit the following PVAO offices between Feb. 24 and 26, 2009:
1. National Highway cor. Diversion Rd., Pagdaraoan, San Fernando City, La Union;
2. USAFIPNL Camp Henry T. Allen, Baguio city, Benguet;
3. Old Provincial Capitol Bldg., Iloilo City, Iloilo;
4. CENTCOM, Camp LapuLapu Lahug, Cebu City, Cebu;
5. 126 Gomez St., Tacloban City, Leyte;
6. SOUTHCOM Upper Calarian, Zamboanga del Sur;
7. Door 4, Gutierrez Compound, Abad Santos Avenue, Davao City, Davao del Sur;
8. Provincial Capitol, Batangas City, Batangas;
9. 1-A Callangan Bldg., Bonifacio St., Tuguegarao City, Cagayan;
10. Cleofer’s Bldg., Gen. Hizon Extension, San Fernando City, Pampanga;
11. ANST Bldg., Washington Drive, Legazpi City, Albay; and
12. Camp Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental.
The press statement said "the United States Department of Veterans Affairs is reaching out to all Filipino WWII veterans regarding the new one-time lump-sum benefit payment signed into law on Feb. 17, 2009. The United States has great respect for the bravery and service of Philippine WWII veterans and for their partnership with the U.S. military in defending freedom."
This new legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, signed by President Barack Obama Tuesday, Feb. 17, in Denver, Colorado, formally recognizes the service of Filipino WWII veterans as active military service in the Armed Forces.
In accordance with the new law, for an individual to be eligible for payment, the US Department of Veterans Affairs must receive the individual’s claim not later than February 16, 2010, which is one year from the date US President Obama signed the historic legislation.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs is working to quickly implement the new US law. Filipino WWII veterans can inquire about and submit claims for the new lumpsum benefit at the US Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office located at the US Embassy in Manila. The US Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office will also have representatives available to accept claims at 14 locations throughout the Philippines.
All Filipino WWII veterans are requested to bring the following information and documentation (if applicable) when filing their claims:
Ø Two forms of Identification (such as passport, driver’s license, Senior Citizen ID, Bureau of Post ID, Voter ID, etc. )
Ø VA Claim number
Ø Service Number
Ø Philippine Veterans Affairs Office claim number
Ø Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Pension bank account number
Ø US Passport (if a US Citizen)
In order to provide effective, transparent service, claims will only be accepted from Filipino WWII veterans. All Filipino WW II are encouraged to apply in person at one of the locations listed above on the dates indicated.
If a veteran is unable to appear in person, the US Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office will arrange to obtain the application in an appropriate manner. Claims from spouses, widows and children of Filipino WWII veterans will not be accepted.
The US Department of Veterans Affairs is working to implement this new law in a timely and efficient manner to ensure all eligible veterans receive their rightful benefits as soon as possible. Although claims are now being accepted, information regarding the actual release of payments will be provided as it becomes available. This information will be available on the US Embassy website at
http://manila.usembassy.gov.
In Manila, meanwhile, Sen. Richard Gordon yesterday urged PVAO to make it easier for Filipino war veterans to claim their benefits from the US.
PVAO, Gordon said, should make clear and simple the procedure in claiming the benefits and immediately start a massive and intensive information campaign to help beneficiaries and protect them from unscrupulous individuals.
"Our war veterans are all in their twilight years. Let us not make it hard for them. After all, they are more than deserving to receive the meager benefits which they have long been waiting for," Gordon said.
Gordon said the guidelines and procedures in claiming benefits for eligible and qualified Filipino veterans may create confusion among them and their families who are not even certain if they could avail of the ,000 from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund which the US Congress had earlier passed.
After President Obama signed the 7-billion economic stimulus bill, where provisions granting recognition and benefits to Filipino veterans contained, veterans and/or their families started lining up at the PVAO office and the US embassy to avail of the compensation.
"I urge the PVAO to act swiftly on any confusion that may be created regarding the guidelines and procedures in claiming the benefits. Those claimants who are outright considered as eligible should immediately be given what is due to them," he said.
Gordon also asked the PVAO to set up help desks and hotlines and launch a massive information campaign to inform and educate the veterans of the guidelines for obtaining the grant.
"It is imperative that the relevant government agencies remain vigilant and steadfast in their commitment to public service, especially in the service of our veterans who have risked their lives so that we may now bask in the light of freedom and democracy," Gordon said.
Gordon earlier lobbied the US Congress for the passage of an equity bill that would remove much of the stain and dishonor done by the US government to the dignity and true sacrifice of Filipino WWII veterans and of the Philippines as a nation.
Aside from this, he also authored Senate Bill 142 which was signed into law as Republic Act 9499 which effectively amends RA 6948, or an Act Standardizing and Upgrading the Benefits for Military Veterans and their Dependents. The law provides that Filipino veterans would continue receiving benefits from the Philippine government even if they are also entitled to the same benefits from the US government.
For his part, PVAO Administrator Ernesto Carolina urged Filipino WWII veterans to apply for the lump-sum benefits approved by the US Congress immediately so that their families could receive the benefits even if they die while their applications are being processed.
Carolina said the US Department of Veterans Affairs had already sent representatives to the Philippines to coordinate the expected surge of claims for benefits of Filipino veterans, following the approval of the US Congress of 8 million in lump-sum benefits for living Filipino veterans.
Carolina said only applications filed personally by the living Filipino veterans would be eligible for approval, although their families would be allowed to receive the lump-sum benefits of ,000 to ,000 even if they die while their applications are being processed.
"It’s very important that the veteran should file immediately so that in case of their death, the surviving spouse can avail of the benefits," Carolina said.
The US Congress included in its economic stimulus package the appropriation of 8 million for lump-sum benefits to Filipino veterans of World War II, regardless of whether they acquired US citizenship or not.
But only living veterans may be able to apply for the lump-sum benefits, and families of veterans who have already died are not eligible to apply for the benefits in their stead.
Carolina said only veterans who are living and have filed their applications for lump-sum benefits would be qualified to receive the benefits approved by Congress.
"Realistically, it’s sad if the veteran has already died just days before the economic stimulus package has been approved, because it does not matter if the veteran died 60 years ago or 60 minutes ago," Carolina said.
He said the scheme of paying benefits only to living veterans of a war more than 60 years ago seems unfair, but he said the practical response to the granting of lump-sum benefits is to accept the benefits.
"The negotiating stance used to be that we want either all or nothing. But the Americans say that if you want all or nothing, you will get nothing," he said.
Carolina said that by accepting the lump-sum benefits, Filipino veterans, regardless of whether they had acquired US citizenship or not, would have chances of gaining "collateral benefits" because their stint in the US military during World War II had already been recognized. (with reports by Hannah L. Torregoza and David Cagahastian)
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