Bills would restore
benefits to Filipino vets
By Gary T. Kubota, the Starbulletin
October
13, 2003
Benjamin
Lebeng said he thought he would get U.S. veterans benefits after risking
his life to support American guerrilla units in the Philippines during
World War II and guarding U.S. military bases on Luzon as a New Philippine
Scout.
The
Philippines
was then a commonwealth of the
United States
, and Lebeng said he never imagined that the
United States
would break its promise to help Filipino veterans by passing a
Congressional Recision Act in 1946.
"Filipino veterans were fighting side by side with Americans
during World War II," said Lebeng, 75. "We Filipino Americans
were singled out. I don't know why."
To restore some of the benefits, Congress last week passed House
Resolution 2297. The bill, which goes to the U.S. Senate, would enable New
Philippine Scouts serving from October 1945 until December 1946 and living
in the
United States
to be eligible for burial in national veterans cemeteries.
The bill also increases the benefits paid to Filipino veterans and
their survivors living in the
United States
to the same rate paid to
U.S.
veterans, including veterans who died as a result of World War II-related
injuries.
Surviving spouses and dependents of Philippine Commonwealth Army and
New Philippine Scouts who are
U.S.
citizens are currently eligible for half the level of benefits paid to
U.S.
veterans.
House Resolution 2357, also in the U.S. Senate, would provide nursing
home and medical services to qualified Commonwealth Army veterans and New
Philippine Scouts residing in the
United States
.
In 1990, Congress passed a bill enabling aging Commonwealth Army
veterans and New Philippine Scouts to receive American citizenship.
There are an estimated 18,000 Commonwealth Army veterans and New
Philippine Scouts in the
United States
and 42,000 in the
Philippines
, according to the World War II Fil-Am Veterans Hawaii Chapter.
U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D, Rural Oahu-Neighbor Islands), who supports
restoration of the benefits, said he was pleased that Congress is moving
toward restoring full benefits to Filipino veterans and correcting the
"injustice" inflicted upon them.
Lebeng said he was happy about the passage of recent bills in the U.S.
House, but was confused about why there appears to be a logjam in
legislation in the U.S. Senate.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye's office said some in the Republican-controlled
Senate support giving benefits to only those Filipino veterans who are
U.S.
citizens, and that senators are also worried about the cost of the
benefits.
Depending upon the legislation, the estimated cost is as high as $350
million over five years, the World War II Fil-Am Veterans Hawaii Chapter
said.
State Rep. Felipe "Jun" Abinsay Jr. (D, Kalihi-Kapalama) said
although the legislation is a "big amount," he believes it is
important for the
United States
to right the injustice for these aging veterans.
"This must be done now rather than later because many of them are
dying," Abinsay said.
Abinsay said some Commonwealth and New Philippine Scout veterans don't
have enough money to bury themselves. He said the cost of the benefits is
nothing compared to the more than $80 billion Congress expects to spend in
Iraq
.
Lebeng, a diabetic who lives in public housing in Kalihi, said after
the passage of the 1990 congressional act qualifying him for
U.S.
citizenship, he came to
Hawaii
in April 1992 and took the oath as a American citizen on
May 13, 1992
. He said he looks forward to a time when he will receive full veterans
benefits, including health care.
He relies on a small hotel pension and Social Security payments for his
retirement, along with state health assistance through Medicaid.
Lebeng recalled he was only 16 when he became a "bolo man,"
bringing messages and food to American guerrilla units fighting against
the Japanese in northern
Luzon
during World War II.
He said he decided to volunteer after witnessing the cruelty of the
Japan
military upon
U.S.
prisoners of war and his own villagers.
The Japanese military were killing people if they were suspected of
being guerrilla supporters, he recalled.
"That's why many of us were killed," Lebeng said.
Dominador Garcia, 76, a former New Philippine Scout who also became an
American citizen under the 1990 act, said he is healthy but worries about
his future health care.
Garcia, who lives in public housing in
Waipahu
with his wife and one of his sons, worked as a New Philippine Scout on
Okinawa
from
July 6, 1946
, until
Dec. 31, 1946
.
Garcia said he hopes the bills will be passed because many veterans
need health care.
"There are difficulties that confront us regarding our age,"
he said. "We are hopeful this special equity will be given."
Benjamin Lebeng said he thought he would get U.S. veterans benefits
after risking his life to support American guerrilla units in the
Philippines during World War II and guarding
U.S.
military bases on
Luzon
as a New Philippine Scout.
The
Philippines
was then a commonwealth of the
United States
, and Lebeng said he never imagined that the
United States
would break its promise to help Filipino veterans by passing a
Congressional Recision Act in 1946.
"Filipino veterans were fighting side by side with Americans
during World War II," said Lebeng, 75. "We Filipino Americans
were singled out. I don't know why."
To restore some of the benefits, Congress last week passed House
Resolution 2297. The bill, which goes to the U.S. Senate, would enable New
Philippine Scouts serving from October 1945 until December 1946 and living
in the
United States
to be eligible for burial in national veterans cemeteries.
The bill also increases the benefits paid to Filipino veterans and
their survivors living in the
United States
to the same rate paid to
U.S.
veterans, including veterans who died as a result of World War II-related
injuries.
Surviving spouses and dependents of Philippine Commonwealth Army and
New Philippine Scouts who are
U.S.
citizens are currently eligible for half the level of benefits paid to
U.S.
veterans.
House Resolution 2357, also in the U.S. Senate, would provide nursing
home and medical services to qualified Commonwealth Army veterans and New
Philippine Scouts residing in the
United States
.
In 1990, Congress passed a bill enabling aging Commonwealth Army
veterans and New Philippine Scouts to receive American citizenship.
There are an estimated 18,000 Commonwealth Army veterans and New
Philippine Scouts in the
United States
and 42,000 in the
Philippines
, according to the World War II Fil-Am Veterans Hawaii Chapter.
U.S. Rep. Ed Case (D, Rural Oahu-Neighbor Islands), who supports
restoration of the benefits, said he was pleased that Congress is moving
toward restoring full benefits to Filipino veterans and correcting the
"injustice" inflicted upon them.
Lebeng said he was happy about the passage of recent bills in the U.S.
House, but was confused about why there appears to be a logjam in
legislation in the U.S. Senate.
U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye's office said some in the Republican-controlled
Senate support giving benefits to only those Filipino veterans who are
U.S.
citizens, and that senators are also worried about the cost of the
benefits.
Depending upon the legislation, the estimated cost is as high as $350
million over five years, the World War II Fil-Am Veterans Hawaii Chapter
said.
State Rep. Felipe "Jun" Abinsay Jr. (D, Kalihi-Kapalama) said
although the legislation is a "big amount," he believes it is
important for the
United States
to right the injustice for these aging veterans.
"This must be done now rather than later because many of them are
dying," Abinsay said.
Abinsay said some Commonwealth and New Philippine Scout veterans don't
have enough money to bury themselves. He said the cost of the benefits is
nothing compared to the more than $80 billion Congress expects to spend in
Iraq
.
Lebeng, a diabetic who lives in public housing in Kalihi, said after
the passage of the 1990 congressional act qualifying him for
U.S.
citizenship, he came to
Hawaii
in April 1992 and took the oath as a American citizen on
May 13, 1992
. He said he looks forward to a time when he will receive full veterans
benefits, including health care.
He relies on a small hotel pension and Social Security payments for his
retirement, along with state health assistance through Medicaid.
Lebeng recalled he was only 16 when he became a "bolo man,"
bringing messages and food to American guerrilla units fighting against
the Japanese in northern
Luzon
during World War II.
He said he decided to volunteer after witnessing the cruelty of the
Japan
military upon
U.S.
prisoners of war and his own villagers.
The Japanese military were killing people if they were suspected of
being guerrilla supporters, he recalled.
"That's why many of us were killed," Lebeng said.
Dominador Garcia, 76, a former New Philippine Scout who also became an
American citizen under the 1990 act, said he is healthy but worries about
his future health care.
Garcia, who lives in public housing in
Waipahu
with his wife and one of his sons, worked as a New Philippine Scout on
Okinawa
from
July 6, 1946
, until
Dec. 31, 1946
.
Garcia said he hopes the bills will be passed because many veterans
need health care.
"There are difficulties that confront us regarding our age,"
he said. "We are hopeful this special equity will be given."
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