CONFUSION marred the first day of the filing
for US compensation by thousands of Filipino veterans who fought
side by side with American troops in World War II.
Hundreds of qualified veterans trooped to the
Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) inside Camp Aguinaldo
to file their claim before officials of the US Veterans
Administration (USVA).
In the $787-billion American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act or US economic stimulus bill, a provision
provides compensation of $15,000 for veterans who are US
citizens and $9,000 for non-US citizens. The economic stimulus
bill was signed into law by US President Barack Obama during a
ceremony in Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday.
The initial number of WWII veterans was over
200,000 but this is now down to 18,000, one-third of whom are
living in the US under a 1998 US law which entitled qualified
veterans to apply for citizenship.
Several widows tried to file their
application, unaware that only living veterans are qualified for
the compensation.
Some members of the Hukbalahap also went to
PVAO, hoping they would benefit from the measure.
Among them is Andrea Franco who receives
P5,000 a month from the PVAO.
Hukbalahap, which stands for Hukbo ng Bayan
Laban sa mga Hapon, was the military arm formed by the Communist
Party of the Philippines in 1942 to fight the Japanese
occupation.
Under the US compensation measure, only
members of organized guerrilla forces under commanders
appointed, designated or subsequently recognized by the
commander in chief of the Southeast Pacific Area, or other
competent authority in the Army of the United States are
qualified.
The other qualified veterans are those who
rendered service in the Philippine Scouts under Section 14 of
the Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945.
"Siyempre masama ang loob mo. Mabuti pa nga
hindi na nagpalabas ng ganyan at hindi na nagkakalabasan ng sama
ng loob," said Franco, who nursed the wounded. "Nagserbisyo kami
sa mga sugatan, nagserbisyo kami nung panahon ng Hapon."
Franco said she cut short her vacation in
Thailand just so she could file her claim.
Rosa Dinginbayan, whose husband Paulino died
last year, said she and the other widows plan to unite so their
grievances may be heard.
PVAO spokesman Nostradamus Villanueva said
the veterans, some of them coming from as far as Tarlac and
Bulacan, arrived at the PVAO office as early as 4 a.m. Their
applications were received by USVA and PVAO personnel around 8
a.m.
The Philippine National Red Cross dispatched
ambulances outside the PVAO building. Nurses were also on
standby, said Villanueva.
Among the veterans was Celestino Aquino, 88,
of Meycauayan, Bulacan who was on a wheelchair.
His wife, Josefa, said they would give their
children a share of the compensation.
Feliciano Gregorio, who is turning 85 next
month, could not answer questions as his hearing is impaired.
His daughter Nenita said her father’s P5,000 monthly pension
from the Philippine government is just enough to buy medicines
for his emphysema.
Isabel Reyes, wife of Leo Reyes, said they
would buy a car to replace their 1982 model unit. Both US
citizens, they reside in Teresa, Rizal.
Leo recalled how he attended to wounded
fighters at the Ipo dam in Norzagaray in Bulacan.
PVAO administrator Ernesto Carolina, in an
interview, said the veterans are happy with the compensation
package "because after 60 years of waiting, it (measure) was
signed."
"Proxy filing is not allowed. But if the application was
filed before February 10 and the veteran dies, the benefits will
go to the widow," he also said.
