THE Philippine government continues to make representations with United States officials on behalf of Filipino veterans who have been denied benefits pursuant to the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC), wherein Filipino World War II veterans are given a one-time lump sum.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said that Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose L. Cuisia Jr. met with officials of the U.S. Army, Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), and U.S. Congress to “make strong representation for assistance to ensure that no veteran is unjustly denied the benefit due them.”
Army Deputy Undersecretary Thomas Hawley committed to look into particular compelling cases that the Embassy may wish to bring to their attention, as well as work closely with the DVA to ensure that no one is denied their due benefit because of administrative error.
While the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri is tasked to certify and validate the military service of Filipino veterans using two lists, a Roster and a Discharge List, instances of lapses in the NPRC certification process have been found.
Although the Embassy insists that being in either of the list should serve as sufficient proof of service, Army officials stated that the two lists were diligently prepared and are meant to complement each other. Hawley added that it would be difficult to alter the certification process.
Hawley pointed out that the U.S. Army, through the NPRC, denies certification to any veteran whose name appears in a list of those who collaborated with the Japanese Imperial Army. He also disclosed that the DVA has the discretion to assess information submitted by veterans and make its own determination.
On the issue of veterans who have become U.S. citizens and have been denied the benefits, Hawley said that requirements for immigration are different from those for veterans’ benefits.
Cuisia also met with Rep. Bob Filner and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki to pursue the matter, in particular to assist 3,600 Filipino veterans who have submitted appeals.
In view of the various sources of Filipino World War II records, Shinseki said that certifications from the Adjutant General of the Armed Forces of the Philippines may be acceptable provided they were issued sometime immediately after the war (1947).
Secretary Shinseki promised to look into pending cases and work closely with all concerned.
For his part, Rep. Mike Honda suggested that a comprehensive study be made on this important subject, including the possibility of an executive order to address the concerns. [PNA]
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