US Senate passes bill recognizing Pinoy war vets’ contribution

Filipino World War II veterans may soon be officially recognized in California history textbooks for their contributions in the war, after the US Senate passed a bill on the matter. The Senate passed California bill AB 199, the “Filipinos in WWII Social Studies Curriculum Act," with a 37-2 vote last Thursday (Friday in Manila), the Asian Journal reported. With the vote, the bill will head to Governor Jerry Brown’s desk next week, according to the report. It would be a long-awaited recognition for some 15,000 Filipino World War II veterans still living today, it added. “[This bill] encourages social science instruction for Grades 7-12 to include instruction on World War II and the role of Filipinos in that war, consisting of an accurate history of the contributions of the Filipino American veterans who fought courageously in the United States Army," said Assembly member Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), the bill’s author. Ma reintroduced the bill earlier this year. The bill had passed the Assembly in March with an overwhelming 72-0 vote. Should it be passed into law, the measure would recognize the contributions of Filipino soldiers and civilians in World War II. The Asian Journal said this was the second time the bill passed the Assembly and Senate in California. But then Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declined to sign the bill, saying Filipinos’ contribution in World War II in textbooks should be taken up by the state’s education board and not made into law. World War II veteran Franco Arcebal said they lobbied with Schwarzenegger and tried to impress him but he said it should be taken up by the educational board rather than by legislation. “It’s important to include the services of the Filipinos during World War II in the history books because the American people do not understand or have any idea how the Filipino soldiers served during those days," Arcebal said. He noted that when Bataan fell, the US was facing its darkest hour. “But with the help of the Filipinos and nurses and civilian combatants the Americans were able to recuperate and gain strength within five months," he added. WW2 The Philippines was a Commonwealth of the United States during World War II. At the time, there were more than 250,000 Filipino soldiers that helped defend against invading Japanese forces. Ma said 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. But after World War II ended, then President Harry Truman signed the Rescission Act of 1946, where 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." In 2009, President Barack Obama II signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that included a provision that called for $198 million for Filipino World War II veterans. Under the provision, Filipino World War II veterans who received their US citizenship would receive $15,000 each, while non-citizens are entitled to $9,000. – JE, GMA News