Filipino vets to protest Bush opposition to equity bills

Filipino World War II veterans in the US and their supporters will hold a rally on Monday at the San Francisco Fort Miley VA Medical Center to protest the Bush administration's opposition to the Equity Bills, seeking to provide full benefits to Filipino war veterans, GMANews.TV learned Sunday. The veterans are seeking full recognition of their military service under the US flag during WW II, hoping they would get disability pensions. The US House of Representatives and Senate earlier held hearings on their bills, S. 57 and H.R. 760, in February and April, according to the American Coalition for Filipino Veterans (ACFV), a Washington-based advocacy group. Leaders of the group are intensifying lobby efforts targeting senators in Seattle, Honolulu, Chicago, Houston and New York. WW II veterans and their supporters mark the 65th anniversary of the Corregidor Day of Valor, when Japanese invaders overwhelmed American forces on May 6, 1942. The ACFV coalition is also campaigning for the Family Reunification bill S. 671- H.R. 1287. The Senate leadership has tentatively set debates on immigration bills in mid-May. - GMANews.TV