Filipino WW2 U.S. Veterans Fight 4 Equity

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Chasing Happy Opinion Column  by Adelle Chua

Manila Standard

9/14/2009

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideOpinion.htm?f=2009/september/14/adellechua.isx&d=2009/september/14

The general’s new cause

 

Manila StandardManilaAntonio Taguba was born in Sampaloc, Manila in 1950. His father, a Cagayan native, was a soldier who had fought the Battle of Bataan and survived the Bataan Death March during World War II. The family migrated to Hawaii when the boy was 11.

That boy eventually joined the United States Army, which he served for 34 years. The high point of his career came in 2004 when, as a general, he was stationed in Kuwait . The Army needed somebody of at least a two-star rank to probe the alleged abuse and torture suffered by detainees in the hands of the American personnel in the Abu Ghraib facility in Iraq . Taguba stepped up to the challenge.

The general and his team reviewed photographs taken and conducted interviews with the people in Abu Ghraib. They obtained written confessions from some of the suspects, statements provided by detainees themselves and some witnesses. What the team found was appalling. More popularly known as the Taguba Report, military inquiry article 15-6 concludes that “numerous incidents of sadistic, blatant, and wanton criminal abuses were inflicted on several detainees” and that these acts were “systemic” and intentionally perpetrated.

These acts included torture, rape, sodomy and homicide, all intended to demean the detainees' persons.

The Taguba report created a stir long before “ Guantanamo ” and “waterboarding” became household names. By saying that the abusive acts were systemic, Taguba implied that these things had the authorization, or at least the tacit permission of the higher-ups in the military. Pentagon officials naturally were not thrilled with the report—especially since it had been leaked to the media. An article at The New Yorker written by Seymour Hersch and published on June 25, 2007 (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/06/25/070625fa_fact_hersh) tells us about Taguba’s encounter with then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in May 2004, the day before the latter appeared in a Congressional hearing on the scandal.

“Here . . . comes . . . that famous General Taguba—of the Taguba report!” Rumsfeld declared, in a mocking voice. Speaking to the New Yorker, Taguba described his former boss: “He [Rumsfeld] was in denial.” Rumsfeld said he did not know about such conditions sooner but Taguba was incredulous: the pictures were there for Rumsfeld to see all along.

But the high point of Taguba’s career was also the start of his downfall. In June 2004, Taguba was ordered back to the Pentagon headquarters, to work in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs (where he could be”watched closely,” he was told), when in fact he was up for rotation to Fort MacPherson in Georgia. It was then he realized his career was over. Still, he reported for work faithfully every day, serving “at the pleasure of the President.” And then in January 2006, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army called him up and told him he would be retired by January 2007. No reason was given for his hastened retirement.

The new commander-in-chief, President Obama, has made promises about stopping the US ’ interrogation “techniques”. He has signed an executive order that would close the Guantanamo facility in Cuba next year even as questions remain on what to do with its present occupants.

This year, retired General Taguba joined human rights organizations in asking Obama to create a commission to investigate abusive practices in US prisons—and have some people accountable for them. Taguba also wrote the preface to Broken Laws, Broken Lives: Medical Evidence of Torture by the US by Physicians for Human Rights (http://brokenlives.info/?page_id=23).

***

Now that Taguba has retired, he has more time for other things. Presently he serves as chairman of the advisory committee on minority veterans at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Given his—and his father’s—history, this cause is another close to his heart.

In my column of March 9 this year (A tribute to war heroes), I wrote about my interview with the administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina, soon after the US economic stimulus plan— which included a $198-million provision for Filipinos who fought alongside Americans during World War II—was signed into law. Veterans who have since become US citizens are entitled to a lump sum payment of $15,000 while non-citizens can claim $9,000.

I have since received two e-mails from a reader, Maria Elizabeth Embry, based in Antioch , California who advocates Filipino veterans’ welfare. Embry’s latter e-mail to me was a forwarded message from General Taguba himself, asking for help to disseminate information about the progress of veterans’ claims per information from the veterans affairs department itself.

I reprint part of the forwarded message:

The Center for Minority Veterans is now providing updates on the claims status of WWII Filipino Veterans. This data can be found at http://www1.va.gov/centerforminorityveterans/ 

As of Sept. 1, 2009, 31,876 claims have been received.  The initial benchmark for the number of eligible applicants was estimated at 18,000 Filipino WWII Veterans. In addition to these claims, the Manila Regional Office has received more than 4,400 duplicate or incomplete applications.

As of the same date, 8,990 applications have been processed through the first four and a half months since processing began: 3,414 approved for non-United States citizens, 3,138 approved for Filipino Veterans with US Citizenship, and 2,438 applications disapproved. There are 22,886 pending claims.

VA continues to conduct numerous successful outreach programs to inform veterans and their families about this benefit. This aggressive outreach will continue as FVEC claims may be submitted until Feb. 16, 2010. VA is unable to predict the volume of additional claims and is unable to predict a future processing completion date.  The Manila RO has established a dedicated team of employees who solely process FVEC claims. To date, over $77 million has been awarded to eligible Filipino veterans.

Two options are available to claimants who do not agree with a VA decision.  The first option is to provide VA with evidence that may lead VA to change the decision. The notification letter will clearly identify any potential missing evidence the claimant should provide in order to substantiate their claim.  The second option is to file a notice of disagreement (NOD), in writing, explaining the reasons for disagreement. 

Once an appeal is received, the claimant will be provided hearing options to include a video hearing or a face-to face hearing at the nearest regional office.

Due to Privacy Act provisions the list of applicants and claimants are not subject to public disclosure.

As a reminder, applications must be submitted no later than Feb. 16, 2010.

adellechua@gmail.com

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090903-223382/5000-US-war-veterans-got-lump-sum-benefit

5,000 US war veterans got lump sum benefit

By Katherine Evangelista
First Posted 17:41:00 09/03/2009

MANILA, Philippines – Some 5,500 Filipino World War II veterans have received their lump sum benefit from the US Department of Veteran s Affairs (USDVA) just six months after the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 or the Stimulus Bill, an official from the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) said Thursday.
In an interview during the Filipino World War II Veteran’s Assembly held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City , PVAO Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina said that a total of 34,000 living World War II veterans applied for the $198 million lump-sum benefit for Filipino veterans who fought alongside US troops during the war.
“The total is about 5, 500, including those in the US because some of them have already become US citizens and are living in the US . But they (US citizens) are very few, about 20 percent while 80 percent are here in the Philippines ,” Carolina said.
Application for the lump sum benefit began February 18 this year and is set to end February 16, 2010.
Carolina said that qualified veterans have started receiving their lump sum benefit of $9,000 for Filipino citizens and $15,000 for those with US citizenship since April 8.
However, he said, the allocated budget by the US government would be enough.
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. said that at least 1,000 applications of veterans have been denied due to “insufficient proof” that they volunteered during the war.
“Their affiliation or proof of service is unsubstantiated. You know, you need some proof,” Teodoro told reporters in a separate interview.
Also, 7,000 more applications are still in the pipeline waiting for the approval by the team from the USDVA while some 20,000 or more former guerillas are expected to apply until the deadline on February 2010, Carolina said.
Carolina said that the number of applicants is nearly double than the projected 18,000 to 20,000 living war veterans eligible for the benefit and are included on the Missouri List which is a list of names of war veterans who volunteered during the war.
Nevertheless, Carolina said that the $198 million budget will be enough for all veterans adding that even those not included in the Missouri List would also be given the lump sum benefit as long as they have “strong proof of service” like documents which would prove their service in the US army during World War II such as affidavits from
their commanders or fellow soldiers.
“They ( US ) think that they will still have excess from their budget because most of the veterans have already died. This group, their average age is 85 years old and up, and they die at the rate of 10 each day. So that’s 300 a month,” Carolina said.

 

Excerpt:

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090904-223474/More-war-vets-seek-US-payment

More war vets seek US payment

By Christian V. Esguerra
First Posted 09:06:00 09/04/2009

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Filipino war veterans seeking a piece of the $198-million lump sum payment from the United States has ballooned to more than 31,000—almost double than the expected 18,000 claims.
Despite the numbers, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Thursday encouraged other veterans to continue filing their claims.
“We must beat the Feb. 16 deadline next year for the filing of all claims,” she said in a speech during the Filipino World War II Veterans Assembly in Camp Aguinaldo .
Ms Arroyo said she was assured by the US Veterans Administration that it would speed up the processing of claims, with no less than USVA chief Eric Shinseki saying his office was ready to add more personnel to attend to the applications.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/171422/filvets39-claims-for-wwii-benefits-reach-31876

Filvets' claims for WWII benefits reach 31,876

JOSEPH G. LARIOSA, GMANews.TV

09/03/2009 | 07:43 PM

CHICAGO – The number of claimants for the lump sum benefits granted to Filipino World War II veterans under The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has now exceeded the original 18,000 benchmark.

Out of the 31,876 claimants, 8,990 applications have been processed through the first four-and-a-half months since processing began, according to statistics released by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA).

Of the processed claims, 3,138 were approved for veterans with US citizenship, 3,414 were approved for non-US citizens, and 2,438 applications were disapproved. There are 22,886 pending claims.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Filipino WWII veterans who are now US citizens are entitled to a benefit of US$15,000. Non-US citizens are entitled to $9,000.

This information was posted in a mass e-mail by R. Sonny S. Sampayan, a retired US serviceman, quoting Ronald Sagudan, program analyst of the USDVA’s Center for Minority Veterans.

Sagudan, along with retired Gen. Tony Taguba, chair of the advisory Committee on Minority Veterans of the USDVA, and Lyn Johnson of the New York City MVPC, has reached out to the Filipino community to help find every veteran, who may be qualified for VA benefits before the February 2010 deadline.

As of August 19, Jim Benson of the media relations office of the USDVA told this reporter that as far as he knew, no claims have been denied claimants who died after filing the claims.

According to the USDVA, in addition to the 31,876 claims it has received, the Manila Regional Office has received more than 4,400 duplicate or incomplete applications.

Retired Brigadier General Felix Pestana recalls his ordeal during the infamous Bataan Death March. Read more about his experience: Still waiting for benefits, RP war veterans recall their ordeals

The USDVA said it has been conducting numerous successful outreach programs to inform veterans and their families about this benefit.

Claimants have until February 16, 2010 to file their claims. USDVA is unable to predict the volume of additional claims and is unable to predict a future processing completion date.

The Manila RO has established a dedicated team of employees who solely process FVEC claims. To date, over $77 million has been awarded to eligible Filipino veterans. A budget of $198 million has been allocated for these benefits under the new law.

The Philippines is home to the only USDVA regional office located outside the United States or its territories.

There are two options available to claimants who do not agree with a USDVA decision.

The first option is to provide VA with evidence that may lead VA to change the decision. The notification letter will clearly identify any potential missing evidence the claimant should provide in order to substantiate their claim.

The second option is to file a notice of disagreement (NOD), in writing, explaining the reasons for disagreement. The time frame to file a notice of disagreement is one year from the date of the notification letter explaining the reasons and basis USDVA used to make their decision.

USDVA encloses a VA Form 4107, "Your Rights to Appeal Our Decision," with Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC) Fund notification letters to help explain appeal rights to claimants.

Once an appeal is received, the claimant will be provided hearing options to include a video hearing or a face-to face hearing at the nearest regional office.

Due to Privacy Act provisions the list of applicants and claimants are not subject to public disclosure. - GMANews.TV

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=498847&publicationSubCategoryId=201

Purging Japanese collaborators from Pinoy veterans list delays payments

By JOSE KATIGBAK STAR Washington bureau (philstar.com) Updated August 24, 2009 12:00 AM 

WASHINGTON – Compensation payments to Filipino World War II veterans for their wartime services to Uncle Sam are being held up by a purge of Japanese collaborators from their ranks and bureaucratic problems, US and Filipino officials said.

“All claims are initially processed in Manila, since it must be first determined that the claimant did not work with the Japanese during World War II,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, head of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a member of the Senate appropriations committee.

Veterans who are naturalized US citizens are questioning why their applications have to be processed in Manila when their names are already inscribed in the Revised Reconstructed Guerrilla Roster (RRGR) kept at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis , Missouri .

Veterans advocate Maria Elizabeth Embry of California, in a letter to Senator Feinstein complaining about the delay in payments, said the purge was unnecessary since all veterans had been subjected to loyalty investigations by the US military before their names were inscribed in the so-called Missouri List.

Since the US Veterans Administration began disbursing lump-sum payments from a $198-million compensation fund for Filipino veterans in April about 7,000 claimants have been paid $70 million, Jon Skelly, regional director of USVA Manila, said.

“In the history of the VA it is quite possible no law or new benefit program has ever been implemented as quickly as this one,” he said in a telephone conference with Filipino veterans in Washington complaining of long delays in the processing of their claims.

An economic stimulus package passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on Feb. 17 provides for a one-time payment of $15,000 for Filipino veterans who have become naturalized US citizens, and $9,000 for those living in the Philippines .

Officials estimate about 12,000 eligible veterans live in the Philippines and 6,000 are in the US but applications received already exceed the 30,000-mark and more are pouring in.

The sheer volume of applications, lack of staff and the added burden of ensuring no Japanese collaborators benefit have led to delays in the processing of claims and many veterans now in their late 80s fear they may run out of time before getting their due.

The American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, a Washington-based advocacy group suggested a separate “express lane” processing team at USVA Manila be created to approve well-documented applications from Filipino veterans who are US citizens. 

These veterans have certification letters from the Missouri records center, hold US passports and VA hospital identification cards and their compensation applications could be fast-tracked.

The “USVA bible” in determining eligible claimants is the Missouri List, compiled after the war in 1945 from records on brown paper bags, the back of letters, sales receipts, court documents, school forms, ledger book papers, evaporated milk can labels, and similar items.

Delfin Lorenzana, head of the Office of Veterans Affairs of the Philippine embassy in Washington , said after the US Army left in 1948 with the Missouri List the Armed Forces of the Philippines continued to sign up late registrants into its own list.

He said about 33,000 veterans back home receive pensions from the Philippine government but if they are not in the Missouri List it is unlikely they will receive US compensations.

USVA hopes to pay off by February 2010 all Filipino veterans who can rightfully claim they served Uncle Sam during the war but the deadline may not be met.

To speed up the processing of claims, USVA Manila said it has added 18 people to its staff. Also, the staff at the NPRC qualified to verify the Missouri List has been increased from one to eight.

FilAm war vets lament delays in equity checks

 

INQUIRER.net

First Posted 09:38:00 08/18/2009

 

Editor’s Note: Reprint of article written by Jun Medina of FilAm Star and sent through email by Esther M. Chavez, INQUIRER.net’s U.S. Director of Sales

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The passage in February of the “equity compensation” legislation brought so much hope and rejoicing for thousands of Filipino World War II veterans who, for decades, had lobbied for recognition for their war-time services to the United States.

 

Six months later, most of these veterans, now in the late 80s are still waiting for the one-time, lump-sum compensation which went with the recognition of their military services.

 

“I’ve been waiting to receive a check in the mail for a while now, but nothing,” sighed Franco Arcebal of Los Angeles in a phone interview with FilAm Star. “I’m getting a bit anxious because I hear some of our comrades have died before getting their benefits.”

 

The 87-year-old Arcebal, vice president for membership of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, said that at the rate the checks are being processed and paid by the U.S. Veterans’ Administration, it could take “at least another 18 months for us to get paid.”

 

Arcebal, who filed his claim on Feb. 21, said he has tried calling the 1-800 USVA number to check on the status of his claim, without success.

 

“I tried calling but all I get is a recording and I don’t even get to talk to anyone after waiting for a long while,” he said in a phone interview.

 

Arcebal’s frustration was understandable, said Gen. Delfin Lorenzana (ret), head of the Philippine Embassy’s veterans’ affairs section here, who had the same experience while contacting USVA Manila on behalf of some veterans.

 

Lorenzana said he had a hard time getting through when he called Manila to inquire about the claims of Metro DC veterans who had solicited his help.

 

“I was told that for privacy reasons, I can’t represent the veterans. Only their next of kin – spouse or children – are allowed to do that, and that’s understandable,” Lorenzana said.

 

He said, however, that the free phone provided for such follow-ups is sometimes not working, adding that the elderly veterans would find it hard navigating the system.

 

Lorenzana added that trying the Internet link supplied by the U.S. Embassy website in Manila for claims verification does not seem to work either.

 

“In fairness to the USVA Manila staff, I think that the system is just being swamped by too many claims that they may not have anticipated,” Lorenzana said. “We have raised the veterans’ concerns and USVA Secretary Eric Shinseki has graciously promised us that he would do something about the problem.”

 

He noted that as of July 21, the USVA has processed 8,300 claims and approved 6,800. The rest were disapproved because the claimants were not qualified, based on payment guidelines set by law.

 

Excerpt:

http://www.starbulletin.com/news/20090811_Filipino-American_WWII_vets_still_await_payment.html

 

Filipino-American WWII vets still await payment

By Rosemarie Bernardo

 

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Aug 11, 2009

 

Hundreds of Filipino-American World War II veterans in Hawaii waiting for lump-sum payments are frustrated over delays caused by a staff shortage.

Members of the WWII Filipino-American Veterans-Hawaii Chapter are calling for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to accelerate the process, saying months has passed after they were expected to receive their checks.

"We are losing hope," said President Art Caleda.

About 550 veterans in Hawaii had filed claims as of June. Of that figure, 15 veterans who suffered wounds in battle have received their payment, but the remaining are still waiting.

According to Caleda, a representative from the VA told them checks were to arrive in June. When the checks did not arrive, veterans were told it would take another six to nine months.

A staff shortage at the National Personnel Records Center in Missouri, where personnel verify whether the U.S. citizen filing a claim is a veteran, is one of the main factors causing the delay, according to officials now working to increase personnel.

The population of Filipino-American WWII veterans has dwindled over the years. About 30 veterans in Hawaii have died since February. "The long process is ridiculous," said Caleda. "The veterans cannot wait."

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=492403&publicationSubCategoryId=63

 

GMA may cut short US trip

By Jose Katigbak STAR Washington bureau (The Philippine Star) Updated August 02, 2009 12:00 AM

 

In the afternoon she held meetings with Senators Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka to thank them for their efforts in the payment of benefits to Filipino World War II veterans.

 

She also met Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki.

 

Filipino veterans wrote to Mrs. Arroyo earlier to complain about “the slow approval process and unacceptable delays” in payments to surviving veterans and to intercede on their behalf

Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/july/28/yehey/metro/20090728met1.html

Excerpt Tuesday, July 28, 2009

 

‘Equity delayed is equity denied’

Filipino WWII veterans seek Obama’s help

By Jun Medina, Special Correspondent
 
Filipino World War II veterans have appealed to United States President Barack Obama to expedite the processing of the equity benefit claims of thousands of veterans, some of whom had died without enjoying their one-time lump-sum payment.

Patrick Ganio Sr., national president of the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans (ACFV), wrote in a July 26 letter to Obama that only 10 percent of claims have been paid so far by the US Veterans Administration to the Filipino veterans for their military service.

“This situation is truly unkind to sickly Filipino WWII veterans who have patiently waited for decades. Regrettably, more than a dozen have died in the United States without receiving their final recognition,” Ganio said, adding “equity delayed is equity denied.”

He cited a wire report that of some 500 applicants from Hawaii , only eight or 1.6 percent have received their equity benefits.

Ganio cited the case of a Filipino veteran in Orange County , California , who was personally decorated for his bravery in the Battle for Corregidor in World War II by Gen. Douglas Mac­Arthur. The veteran had died and was buried on July 6 without receiving his equity benefit. 

Another veteran from San Jose , California , received his check of $15,000 a few days before his burial.

 

VA Media Relations  Shinseki Meets Philippine President Arroyo 9:39 AM 5KB

Shinseki Meets Philippine President Arroyo

Friday, July 31, 2009 9:39 AM
From:
To:
VANEWS-L@WWW.LISTSERV.VA.GOV
Recent VA News Releases

To view and download VA news release, please visit the following
Internet address:

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel

Secretary Shinseki Meets with Philippine President Arroyo

WASHINGTON (July 31, 2009) - The status of benefits to Filipino Veterans
of World War II was a prime topic recently when Secretary of Veterans
Affairs
Eric K. Shinseki met with Philippine President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo
.

"VA has long-standing ties to the Philippines, with many U.S. Veterans
living in the islands," Secretary Shinseki said. "Our partnership with
the Philippine government enables us to ensure these Veterans receive
the benefits they have earned."

The partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the
Philippine government was recently enhanced when VA implemented a law
granting a cash payment to Filipino Veterans who aided American troops
in World War II.  The payments came through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act
, which authorized $198 million for one-time payments.

Under the provision, VA is paying claims of $9,000 for non-U.S. citizens
and $15,000 for Filipino Veterans who are U.S. citizens.  VA's Manila
Regional Office has received more than 25,000 claims and has paid out
approximately $56 million so far.

Shinseki expressed his appreciation to Arroyo for the support her
government's Philippine Veterans Affairs Office gave to VA's Manila
office in their joint outreach to eligible Veterans in the weeks
following the law's passage earlier this year.

VA recently donated a new $800,000 CT scan machine to the Philippine
government's Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.  The
donation is one in a series of medical equipment donations and facility
upgrades worth $5.5 million since 2003 that the U.S. Government has made
to the medical center.
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