Las Vegas Mayor declares Feb 3 Filipino Veterans Fairness Day

To enjoin Las Vegas residents to recognize Filipino World War II veterans’ service to the United States, city Mayor Carolyn Goodman had declared February 3 as Filipino Veterans Fairness Day.

In a proclamation signed on January 24^th, Goodman “asks all citizens to honor the denied Filipino World War II veterans and the organizations working to have them recognized for their service to America.”

She noted that there are over 100,000 Filipino-Americans who have contributed to the growth of Las Vegas which is also the home of six “World War II denied Filipino Veterans.”

Goodman’s proclamation is intended to show support for House Resolution 210 (HR 210) or the Filipino Veterans Fairness Act of 2011 currently pending in Congress.

Goodman commended Las Vegas organizations that have shown support to these veterans who were denied compensation.

These include the Filipino-American Veterans of Nevada-(FAVN), National Federation of Filipino American Associations-Nevada, Filipino-Americans in Power, the Asian American Group, the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater NV, OCA-LasVegas, and Bamboo Bridges.

The proclamation will be presented at a public rally on February 3 where a group of Filipino World War II veterans will gather to ask support for HR 210. This bill recognizes certain military services performed before July 1, 1946, for purposes of eligibility for veterans’ benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Veterans have been requesting the US government to accept records from Filipinos who have authenticated proof from the Philippine government of their US military service.

Some 24,000 Filipino veterans’ claims were turned down because their names were not on a roster used by the US government to determine who served in World War II.

While the Filipino WWII veterans had proof of US military service from the Philippine government, their names were not included in the National Records Center list also known as the Missouri List.

HR 210, filed last January 6 by CA Rep. Jackie Spier, also directs the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to take into account any relevant service documentation, including documentation other than the Missouri List or the list of all discharged and deceased veterans from the 20th century.

Some 60 years ago, US President Franklin Roosevelt promised military benefits to Filipinos who fought with the American military against the Japanese in World War II. In 1946, the US Congress passed the Rescission Act which stripped Filipinos of the benefits they were promised. Of veterans from the 66 countries allied with the US during the war, only Filipinos were denied military benefits.

In an attempt to give full equity to these Filipino war veterans, several bills have been filed in Congress. But it was only through the Obama administration’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2008, that the US government finally set aside $198 million for benefits of Filipino veterans.

Meanwhile, the February 3 public rally will be graced by Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, the FAVN said.

Paul, who is in the city for the Republican caucus on February 4, is a veteran who in the United States Air Force as a medical officer from 1963 to 1968.

The February 3 gathering will be held between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm at the Leatherneck Club at 4360 W. Spring Mountain Rd in Las Vegas.