BY JENNIE ILUSTRE

WASHINGTON – Ambassador Willy C. Gaa has urged US authorities to expedite the grant to Filipino veterans of their benefits under the $198 million-Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund.

He said that because of age, "the time our veterans have to wait to receive their benefits could be reasonably reduced," said Gaa, whose office has been in constant dialogue with the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Most of the veterans are in their late 80s. Veterans die at the rate of ten a day.

It takes an average of a month and a half for qualified Filipino and Filipino American World War II veterans to receive their lump sum payment from the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

Ronald M. Sagudan, the department’s Asian American and Pacific Islander liaison claims officer, said processing of the application takes an average of 46.6 days.

Sagudan reported the department has received about 31,000 claims in the US and in the Philippines. Of this number, 2,011 had been completed as of May 4. A total of 1,661 checks has been released. He said another batch of 242 has been approved "and in process to forward for payment."

In Manila, the USVA Regional Office has coordinated the processing with the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, headed by retired Gen. Ernesto Carolina, defense undersecretary and PVAO administrator.

So far, Sagudan said, there have been 15,962 claims from the Philippines and 7,407 from the US. Less than 200 of the claims were disapproved.

Among the first veterans here to receive his one-time check of $15,000 was Alberto Bacani, who is 98. He said he mailed his application on March 7.

Bacani received his check on April 8 during the "Araw ng Kagitingan" program at the Philippine embassy here from retired US Maj. Gen. Antonio M. Taguba. Taguba represented the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The law enacted on Feb. 17 granted qualified WWII veterans who are Filipino citizens a one-time lump sum payment of $9,000. Qualified veterans who have become naturalized US citizens receive $15,000–whether they live in the US or have retired to the Philippines.