US Senate approves Filipino veterans benefits

[redorange]

Correct me if I am wrong but if I recall from my civics class and Saturday morning cartoons this is just a bill that passed the Senate. It still has to pass the House and be signed by the President before the veterans get anything. I have seen a lot of bills get pass the Senate and die before it even gets out of the House much less make it to the Presidents desk. I know people are saying it's about time but nothing has been accomplished since the bill is still not a law. A bill is just that a bill and not a law so it doesn't grant the veterans anything until it becomes law. Let's wait until it becomes law before we start celebrating.

[empy]

Correct me if I am wrong but if I recall from my civics class and Saturday morning cartoons this is just a bill that passed the Senate. It still has to pass the House and be signed by the President before the veterans get anything. I have seen a lot of bills get pass the Senate and die before it even gets out of the House much less make it to the Presidents desk. I know people are saying it's about time but nothing has been accomplished since the bill is still not a law. A bill is just that a bill and not a law so it doesn't grant the veterans anything until it becomes law. Let's wait until it becomes law before we start celebrating.

yes, you are right, but passing the senate means that there's some progress. the bill in general is getting heavy opposition from the minority (republicans) because they feel that there is way too much pork/nonessential spending in the bill...so nothing is certain as of now.

i'm kind of irritated with President Obama right now because i am not going to qualify for the stimulus package and he's kind of squeezing my company right now (we are in financial services). and some of the spending that the bill is proposing is pure BS.

but even though this particular provision for Filipino war veterans is coming under heavy fire as unnecessary and frivolous, i completely disagree. a country must take care of the people who fought for its freedom, period. end of story.

[rion]

they had to wait until only few living veterans are left... that's a lot of savings...

like what UK did to the Burma verterans.

[CVT]

Again, not after the $, but the recognition of these brave young people!

7505:bravo:

[ab_initio]

^^sometimes we tend to be ungrateful for the past favors...with that, history is gonna repeat itself...until the living appreciates the sacrifices of the yesteryear.

[empy]

Again, not after the $, but the recognition of these brave young people!

7505:bravo:

chief, these guys are at least a half-century away from being called "young people"

[CVT]

chief, these guys are at least a half-century away from being called "young people"

Thanks bro.....

What I was trying to impress here is that these young men were willing to risk their lives then. (Kindly refer to my earlier post before my post which you quoted). Do we have the same commitment now?

7505:bravo:

[Zeus]

Pres. Obama just signed the Stimulus Bill...so finally can our veterans now recieve their benefits?

[tidus1203]

While I am happy for the veterans, this thing is actually part of Obama's economic stimulus plan... I don't see how veterans benefits for another country can stimulate the US economy? That said it just goes to show that there is a lot of PORK SPENDING rather than STIMULATIVE SPENDING on the plan.

But again, I am happy for the veterans they deserve it since they were considered Americans during the war so their country owes them...

[Zeus]

Filvets can go to 14 sites in RP to claim benefits

JOSEPH LARIOSA, GMANews.TV
02/19/2009 | 06:12 PM


CHICAGO/MANILA – Filipino World War II veterans can claim their benefits in 14 different Philippine Veterans Affairs Offices (PVAO) in the Philippines, the US Embassy said on Thursday.

A statement posted on its Web site at US Embassy Web site said that for an individual to be eligible for payment, the US Department of Veterans Affairs must receive the individual’s claim not later than February 16, 2010.

The deadline of filing is one year from the date US President Barack Obama signed the historic legislation on February 17, 2009, providing for a new one-time lump-sum benefit payment for Filipino veterans.

"The United States has great respect for the bravery and service of Philippine WWII veterans and for their partnership with the US military in defending freedom. This new legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, formally recognizes the service of Filipino WWII veterans as active military service in the Armed Forces for purposes of this law," the statement said.

Officials of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs arrived in Manila Thursday to oversee the processing of claims for the one-time lump-sum benefit payment signed into law on February 17, 2009.

The benefits provide a tax-free, one-time $9,000 (roughly P430,000) non-service connected compensation for veterans who are not US citizens, and $15,000 (roughly P717,000) for veterans who are US citizens.

According to the US Embassy statement, veterans can inquire about and submit claims for the new lump-sum benefit at the USDVA Manila Regional Office located at the US Embassy in Manila.

The USDVA will also have representatives available to accept claims at the following locations throughout the Philippines on the dates listed below:

• Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) central office at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City;
• Veterans Memorial Medical Center at North Avenue, Quezon City;
• National Highway cor. Diversion Rd., Pagdaraoan, San Fernando City, La Union;
• 1-A Callangan Bldg., Bonifacio St., Tuguegarao, Cagayan;
• USAFIPNL Camp Henry T. Allen, Baguio City;
• Cleofer’s Bldg., Gen. Hizon Extension, City of San Fernando, Pampanga;
• Provincial Capitol, Batangas City;
• ANST Bldg., Washington Drive, Legazpi City, Albay;
• Old Provincial Capitol Bldg., Iloilo City;
• Centcom, Camp Lapu-Lapu Lahug, Cebu City;
• 126 Gomez St., Tacloban City, Leyte;
• Southcom Upper Calarian, Zamboanga City;
• Camp Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City. and
• Door 4, Gutierrez Compound, Abad Santos Avenue, Davao City.

Veterans can apply from Feb. 19 to 27, 2009 at the PVAO central office and the Veterans' Memorial Medical Center.

For the regional offices, the USDVA representatives will accept claims from Feb. 24 and 26, 2009.

Claimants are requested to bring the following information and documentation (if applicable) when filing their claims:

• Two forms of Identification (such as passport, driver’s license, Senior Citizen ID, Bureau of Post ID, Voter ID, etc. )
• VA Claim number
• Service Number
• Philippine Veterans Affairs Office claim number
• Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Pension bank account number
• US Passport (if a US Citizen)

“If a veteran is unable to appear in person, the US Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office will arrange to obtain the application in an appropriate manner. Claims from spouses, widows and children of Filipino WWII veterans will not be accepted," said the statement.

A similar statement was also issued by the office of Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (Democrat - Hawaii), chairman of US Senate Veterans Affairs committee.

The benefits that were included in The Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (Dem.- Hawaii), US Senate Appropriations Committee chair, is being facilitated for distribution because most of the recipients are aged between 85 and 90 and are very sickly, said Akaka's office.

Said the US Embassy statement, "Although claims are now being accepted, information regarding the actual release of payments will be provided as it becomes available. This information will be available on the US Embassy website.

For more information please dial (632) 528-2500 within Metro Manila or from outside Manila toll-free at 1-800-1888-5252. Or contact VA via e-mail at https://iris.va.gov. - GMANews.TV

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