The 90 year old war veteran who died on his way to getting his just reward is crying for justice from his grave. Mr. Fortunato Pacatang’s surviving children were denied the ability to inherit his lump sum benefit.
When President Barack Obama approved the $198 million appropriation last year for Filipino World War II veterans, many were elated and finally sighed “justice.” This amount was incorporated in the budget as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Package. It was part of the fund that was designed to “stimulate” the US economy.
For many advocates of Filipino veterans, this Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation fund of $198 million is a reward for the hard work and courage of our elderly veterans during the war.
If this is a “reward” for services rendered, why is it that not all veterans qualify for the benefit. How come Mr. Pacatang’s surviving heirs are not entitled to the ‘reward’ of the lump sum benefit?
Equity Bills Declined
When the Rescission Act of 1946 was enacted, the Filipino veterans who fought side by side with the American forces were divested of their status as a US war veteran. According to this 1946 legislation, the services of the Filipino World War II veterans during the war were not considered as “service for purposes of US VA benefits.” Hundreds of thousands of Filipino veterans were adversely affected by this legislation. Despite the fact that they fought under the same war against a common enemy in defense of democracy, the Filipino veterans were considered as “second class veterans.”
In 1990 when Immigration and Nationality Act was amended to allow Filipino World War II veterans to become US citizens, their veterans’ benefits did not follow despite the fact that they were US citizens.
A legislation was needed to correct the injustice of the Rescission Act of 1946. Hence, beginning in 1993 bills were introduced in the US Congress to repeal the unjust provision of the 1946 Rescission Act. Various bills were introduced to classify the Filipinos as US veterans for purposes of VA benefits. The campaign to pass the Equity Bill was an uphill battle. Different legislators in Capitol Hill had different views about our greatest generation. Those who lived through World War II, like Senator Daniel Akaka and Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, were supportive of the Filipino veterans cause. These supportive legislators maintain that Filipino veterans deserve to be treated equally as far as their US veterans. However, with a budget deficit resulting from the Bush Administration’s political and economic policy, an equity bill at the US Congress lost its chance to pass into law. Had this equity bill been passed into law, the Filipino veterans would have had their equal and just reward for their services.
As the administration changed, legislators supportive of the veterans cause came out with the proposition that instead of giving a monthly pension to the veterans, there would just be a one-time ”lump sum” payment to the Filipino veterans. This $198 million fund is known as the lump sum benefit or the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation.
Lump Sum is Definitely a Compromise
A significant number of veterans benefited from this lump sum benefit. Approximately $150 million of the $198 million have already been disbursed to more than 12,000 Filipino veterans. There are still pending approximately 14,585 veterans applications that are awaiting adjudication of their claims.
While this lump sum has already favored more than 12,000 veterans, the 8,713 that were denied and the remaining 14,585 awaiting their claims are now anxious on whether the will ever be able to receive their benefit under this FVEC.
It must be understood that since this is not an Equity legislation that attempted to correct the injustice emanating from the 1946 Rescission Act, this lump sum benefit has limited applicability and created further injustices especially to those brave veterans who passed away prior to the passage of the lump sum benefit.
Weeping Widows
Widows of Filipino veterans were the first group that cried “unfair” when they were told that they are not included in the lump sum benefits. These surviving spouses were married to true and legitimate veterans but were singled out to not receive any lump sum benefit.
Those who became widows after February 17, 2009 are still able to file for the lump sum benefit will still receive their husband’s lump sum check.
The difference between weeping widows and widows after the fact is that the latter’s veteran spouses survived the lump sum benefit. Death of the veteran before the enactment of the lump sum benefit became a ‘penalty’ for the weeping widows.
Surviving Children
One of the specific limitation in the provision of the legislation is that “only the surviving spouse” of the veteran may receive the lump sum check if the veteran passes away after filing the application. Children of the veterans are explicitly excluded from receiving the lump sum check.
This was what happened to the surviving children of the 90 year old veteran Mr. Fortunato Pacatang. His children are unable to claim any lump sum benefit from the deceased veteran who passed away while his claim was pending.
Survival of the Fittest
The case of Mr. Pacatang is reflective of the many cases of Filipino veterans and their families. The series of unfortunate event after his demise is a bitter disappointment for their surviving children who are forced to face their lamentable realities.
Last year, when the lump sum benefit was passed into law, we classified it as a “qualified” victory considering that it benefits certain veterans but does not have equal applicability to all who courageously served during World War II. One year after its implementation, it has now become more obvious that this lump sum is not a reward for services but simply a financial aid only for “some” who are lucky to have lived the day of the passage of this law. Those veterans who did not survive the passage of the law were excluded.
The lump sum should not have been categorized as a veteran benefit but rather a contest for the “survival of the fittest”. The one who lives the longest with the spouse gets the prize. This lump sum is not about justice but simply an aid that is part of the stimulus package. The veterans deserve better.
(Tancinco may be reached at law@tancinco.com or at 887 7177)
