Lobbyist nixes proposal to grant only one medal for all Pinoy World War II veterans

A Filipino war veteran expressed his cynicism over a bill filed in the United States Congress last month, which seeks to award “a single gold medal” to the troops from the Philippines who fought for the US Army during World War II.   According to the news site The FilAm, veteran rights lobbyist Franco Arcebal sees that it will be a long-shot to push through with S.2004, a bill that wishes to grant Filipino war veterans the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal.   The medal, which “shows the US government’s appreciation for exemplary achievements, has been awarded to personalities like US President George Washington (its first recipient in 1776), Mother Teresa (1997), Blessed John Paul II (2000), and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi (2008).   “If the mainstream veterans who served in the Gulf, Korea, or Vietnam were not given the Congressional Gold Medal, I doubt they would give it to Filipino veterans,” the 88-year-old said.   The bill will have to go through hurdles from veteran services groups and the legislative mill, Arcebal said, adding that should it manage to succeed in Congress, it will cause “grousing from many American veterans.”   “Daming magrereklamo niyan ‘pag ibinigay sa Pilipino,” he said.   ‘Gold medal’   S.2004, or “A bill to grant the Congressional Gold Medal to the troops who defended Bataan during World War II,” was filed last December 15 by Senator Tom Udall (New Mexico).   Its counterpart in the lower House, Resolution 3712, was introduced by Rep. Martin Henrich.   The bill’s authors have included “Findings” in the text, which included a rundown of what Filipino and American soldiers went through during the Bataan Death March: (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.2004.IS:)   “(7) Troops from the United States and the Philippines were taken prisoner and forced to march 65 miles without any food, water, or medical care in what came to be known as the ‘Bataan Death March.’ (8) During this forced march, thousands of soldiers died, either from starvation, lack of medical care, sheer exhaustion, or abuse by their captors.   (9) Conditions at the prisoner of war camps were appalling, leading to increased disease and malnutrition among the prisoners.”   The bill has been “read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs,” the text read. ‘Overdue’ recognition   After the war, Filipino veterans had to undergo a longer "battle" — this time for the rights promised to more than 250,000 of them who signed up to fight for the US. After the war ended, Filipino volunteers did not receive the same pension and benefits as American soldiers after President Harry Truman signed the Recission Act. This act stripped Filipino veterans of the benefits stated in the GI Bill of Rights because “certain practical difficulties exist" in applying it to the Philippines, its former commonwealth. The US government cited the $200 million it gave the Philippine Army after the war as its reason for stripping the benefits.  “However, the passage and approval of this legislation do not release the United States from its moral obligation to provide for the heroic Philippine veterans who sacrificed so much for the common cause during the war," Truman said.  It took six decades for the veterans’ efforts to be recognized via a $198 million appropriation passed by President Barack Obama in 2009. War veterans who became US citizens received $15,000 each, while non-US citizens $9,000 each. In an interview with CNN.com, some of the remaining 15,000 veterans said they were thankful for the lump sum but admitted that it was not enough.  “After what we have suffered, what we have contributed for the sake of democracy, it’s peanuts. It’s a drop in the bucket," Celestino Almeda said. American Coalition for Filipino Veterans leader Franco Arcebal said they appreciated the awaited recognition, as they felt that “the United States has forgotten us in many ways."   Last October, California Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 199, or the “Filipinos in World War II (WWII) Social Studies Curriculum Act,” which encourages schools in California “to include instruction on World War II and the role of Filipinos… who fought courageously in the United States Army.” - with Rose-An Jessica Dioquino, VVP, GMA News