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Fil-Am veterans in US to mark Leyte Gulf Landing Oct. 23


Filipinos in California in the United States will commemorate the 67th anniversary of the "Leyte Gulf Landing" on Sunday, October 23 (US time). The Leyte Landing on October 20, 1944 during the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945) of the Philippines marked “the last major naval engagement of World War II." The landing saw the fulfillment of Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s promise to Filipinos, “I shall return." The Philippines was a colony of the US (1898-1946) when the Japanese occupied the Philippines. Three days after MacArthur's landing, Allies fought the "Battle of Leyte Gulf" or the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, which was dubbed as "the largest naval battle in modern history." On Sunday, Filipino-American war veterans will be honored at the Seasons MarketPlace at Landess, Milpitas, California in a ceremony from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The event is sponsored by the:

  • Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) – Santa Clara Valley Chapter;
  • National Federation of Filipino American Associations, NorCal – Region 8;
  • Season MarketPlace at Landess;
  • Asian American Recovery Services, Santa Clara County; and
  • Silicon Valley Asian Pacific American Democratic Club. Battle between Allies and Japanese Days after MacArthur arrived in Leyte on October 20, 1944, the "Battle of Leyte Gulf" between the Allies and the Japanese ensued from October 23 to 26, 1944. It was a collation of four linked battles:
  • Battle of Sibuyan Sea;
  • Battle of Surigao Strait;
  • Battle of Cape Engato; and
  • Battle of Samar. Currently, a memorial stands in Red Beach, Palo, California to commemorate the landing of the American liberation forces led by MacArthur in 1944. Meanwhile, by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 653, the capital city of Tacloban commemorates the landing every year through a public holiday. Veterans’ fight After the Second World War, the Filipino veterans continually sought for the fulfillment of another promise made by the US military. According to CNN.com: “The US military promised full veterans benefits to Filipinos who volunteered to fight," which prompted more than 250, 000 to do so. However, in 1946, then President Harry Truman signed the Rescission Act, which stripped Filipinos of the benefits they were promised when they helped the US fight against the Japanese. The US government cited the $200 million it gave the Philippines after the war as its reason for stripping the benefits. Some 200,000 Filipinos fought in defense of the US against the Japanese and more than half died. As the Philippines was a commonwealth of the US at that time, Filipinos were legally recognized as American nationals then. However, after the Rescission Act was signed, Filipinos lost the benefits entitled to them as American nationals who served in the armed forces of the United States In 2009 — after fighting for more than 60 years for their rights —the Filipino war veterans who are still living were recognized with a $198 million appropriation. War veterans who were US citizens received $15,000 each while non-citizens, $9,000 each. However, American Coalition for Filipino Veterans Franco Arcebal said the compensation “is a small amount" for the remaining 15, 000 veterans who can no longer make a living. “But we appreciate that. Because it will finally recognize our services… as active service in the armed forces of the United States," Arcebal told CNN that year. - VVP, GMA News