One of the first major initiative of Ambassador Willy C. Gaa, the new Philippine ambassador to the United States, is to try to jump-start the campaign to obtain benefits for Filipino veterans of World War II. He, together with the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), sponsored a major conference December 6-7 in Washington D.C. "to move the Filipino WWII veterans’ agenda in the U.S. Congress."
***** The conference has resulted in a
declaration of unity among all major Filipino veterans’ groups both in the Philippines and in the United States.
They have forged an action plan to get the incoming Democratic-controlled
Congress to pass the pending Filipino Veterans’ Equity Bills.
*****“ In light of a more favorable
political climate in Washington DC, making it possible to finally achieve
resolution to this injustice, we have jointly resolved in a spirit of unity to
work together for the passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act in the 110th
Congress,” the joint statement said in part.. “Correcting this 66-year
injustice is long overdue. Now more than ever, Congress must act to officially
recognize Filipino veterans as American veterans and restore the benefits they
rightly deserve.”
***** Conference participants noted that
several Filipino World War II equity bills have been filed filed over the
years, but all fell short of passage. “Restoring the dignity and honor of our
veterans has been the single most important issue of the Filipino American community
for the past 15 years,” says Alma Kern, NaFFAA national chair. “Achieving
united action is a historic step in our campaign to obtain full equity for our
veterans.”
***** Let us hope that this unity will
result in the passage of the equity bill in the incoming Congress.
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