FEB 17, 2016

NR # 4113

House adopts resolution thanking US Congress

for helping Filipino veterans
Lawmakers have adopted a resolution expressing the appreciation of the Philippine
House of Representatives and the Filipino World War II veterans to the United States
Congress for considering other documentary evidences of service in the processing of the
Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation (FVEC).
The House approved House Resolution 1992 expressing appreciation to the US
Congress for including in the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act a directive to the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs (USDVA) to consider all forms of evidence of service, and not just those originally
considered.
The resolution was endorsed for plenary adoption by the House Committee on
Veterans Affairs and Welfare chaired by Rep. Herminia B. Roman (1 st District, Bataan),
who is also author of HR 1992.
The resolution cited that the US Congress passed the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 authorizing the release of a one-time, lump sum
payment to eligible World War II (WWII) Filipino veterans.
The payments, otherwise called the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation
(FVEC), are to be made through the USDVA.
Roman said the FVEC applications filed by most World War II (WWII) Filipino
veterans were denied for not being in the so-called Missouri List, which was used by the
USDVA in validating claims.
In the processing of the FVEC, the USDVA validated all applications using the
Missouri List, resulting in the denial of legitimate World War ll veterans, said Roman.
Efforts were initiated to convince the USDVA to consider other supporting
documents to prove eligibility of Filipino World War ll veterans in the processing of the
equity compensation. The US Congress included in the Military Construction, Veterans
Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act a directive to the USDVA to consider all
forms of evidence of service, and not just those originally considered, Roman further
said.
The resolution is co-authored by Magdalo Reps. Francisco Ashley L. Acedillo and
Gary C. Alejano.

Per the data cited by Ret. MGen. Alfredo Cayton, Jr., chief of the Veterans Affairs
and Management Division (VAMD) of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO)
during the committee hearing held last November 2015, a total of US$265 million was
appropriated for the FVEC Fund from February 2009 to July 2010 under the ARRA of
2009.
Cayton cited that out of the 42,755 VEC applications processed, 18,951 applications
were approved while the remaining 23,804 applications were denied.
Moreover, he said as of August 2015, the total payment to VEC beneficiaries
amounted to US$225.88 million. He advised veterans whose claims were denied to make
an appeal by sending a Notice of Disagreement (NOD) to the USDVA.
The FVEC Fund according to Cayton grants a one-time lump sum payment of
US$15,000 for each Filipino WWII veteran who are US citizens and US$9,000 each to
non-US citizens. (30) rbb