Fil-Ams pay tribute to Filipino war veterans

SAN FRANCISCO, California—“Araw ng Kagitingan” or Day of Valor was held on Saturday at San Francisco’s War Memorial and Performing Arts Center. Community leaders led by Philippine Consul General Marciano Paynor, Jr., Hydra Mendoza, President of San Francisco Unified School District, Veterans War Memorial Commissioners, WWII Veterans, and leading members of the Filipino community of San Francisco paid tribute to Filipino-American defenders of Bataan.

”Bataan has fallen, but the spirit that made it stand – a beacon to all the liberty–loving people of the world-cannot fall….” Filipino students from the South of Market (SOMA) After School Mentorship Program recited the famous radio announcement on April 9 1942.

JROTC cadets from Galileo, Mission, Lowell, Burton and Balboa High Schools participated in a stirring commemorative ceremony by presenting their flags in honor of George Cawley, a Filipino American soldier who was wounded defending Bataan during WWII.

Cawley survived the infamous death march but waited 65 years to receive a Purple Heart medal. Lt. Col Marion Manuta, a commissioned US Military Intelligence Officer and a graduate of University of San Francisco, pinned a Purple Heart on George Cawley’s chest on behalf of a grateful nation.

Students from Bessie Carmichael and members of Lowell’s FilAm Club heard from Dennis Normandy, Chair of San Francisco Manila Sister City Committee and Rudy Asercion, Commissioner of the Veterans War Memorial about the history of their fathers who were captured, tortured and executed by the Japanese invaders.

Yolanda Ortega Stern, West Bay’s chair and President of the Federation of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce, Rodel Rodis, an Immigration Attorney and former School board member of the City College of San Francisco and Alex Fabros a retired Philippine American Military History Professor, stressed the importance of students learning the contributions of Filipino WWII veterans in the war effort.

Just a week ago, the California Assembly Education Committee passed Assembly Bill 199, authored by Assemblywoman, Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) together with Assemblyman PaulCook (R-Yucca Valley) which ensures that the contributions of Filipino WWII veterans are remembered. AB199, the Filipinos in WWII Social Studies Curriculum Act, is the first step toward ensuring that social science instruction in grades 7-12 includes the significant role of Filipinos in World war II.

“Filipino WWII veterans have been denied benefits that were promised and are now being denied credit in our school history books,” said Assemblywoman Fiona Ma.

“Many Americans are unaware of the contributions made by Filipino soldiers on their behalf during World War II. Any group of veterans who fought to maintain the ideals of our nation deserves to be recognized in the same manner as the rest,” said Assemblymember Cook. “I am honored to be a joint author of AB199 along with Assemblymember Ma, which can help ensure that our children and future generations don’t forget the contributions and sacrifice of these brave Filipino soldiers.”

During WWII, the Philippines was a commonwealth of the United States. There were more than 250,000 Filipino soldiers who fought alongside Americans against the invading Japanese forces. The Filipino soldiers in the US Armed Forces were in effect US nationals, and the US government promised them the same health and pension benefits as US soldiers.

However, after WWII ended, President Truman signed Public Law 70-301 known as the Rescission Act of 1946. The law states that the service of Filipinos “shall not be deemed to be or to have been service in the military or national forces of the United States or any component thereof or any law of the United States conferring rights, privileges or benefits.”

Assemblywoman Fiona Mas is also the author of Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 6, the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011, which encourages Congress and the President of the United States to enact House Resolution 210, “Filipino Veterans Fairness Ace of 2011”, authored by Congresswoman Jackie Speier. HR 210 attempts to provide benefits to Filipino veterans who fought aligned with US soldiers, unwaveringly, to defend the United States.