WASHINGTON, D.C. – Building on the momentum from successful hearings before the House Veterans Affairs Committee on February 15, the National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE) is launching a coordinated campaign nationwide to call for passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act.

NAFVE brings together organizations and individuals at local, state and national levels in a coordinated national campaign to secure justice for the brave Filipino World War II Veterans. Working with grassroots advocates around the country and professional staff and consultants with years of experience in Washington, DC, NAFVE constitutes an unprecedented effort in both size and scope from a unified Filipino American community to right this historical wrong.

The Filipino Veterans Equity Act expands the benefits given to World War II Filipino veterans to include non-war related disability pensions.

“We heard it loud and clear in the House Veterans Affairs hearing and in meeting with members of Congress in Washington, DC- the time is right to pass the Filipino Veterans Equity Act,” said Jon Melegrito, NAFVE Co-Chair. “There is unmistakable momentum on our side to finally secure justice for our Filipino World War II Veterans.”

“The stars are in alignment - the Filipino American community around the country is unified as it has never been before and the political climate in Washington, D.C. is ripe for passage of full equity for our veterans,” said Lilian Galedo, NAFVE Co-Chair. “NAFVE will work with all of our allies around the country to raise the community’s collective voice to call for passage of this bill.”

In the coming weeks and months, NAFVE will partner with member organizations around the country to hold events and meetings with members of Congress and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the Filipino Veterans Equity Act and to make sure that Filipino World War II Veterans receive the honor and dignity for which they so bravely fought.

More information about NAFVE and the Filipino Veterans Equity Act is available on the NAFVE Web site: www.nationalfilvets.org.

What they said during the House Veterans Affairs committee hearing

“For more than sixty years, a wrong has existed that must be righted. I urge everyone here to think of morality, of dignity, of honor. There is scarcely a Filipino family today, in either the United States or in the Philippines, that does not include a World War II veteran or a son or daughter of a veteran. Sixty years of injustice burns in the hearts of these veterans. Now in their 80s and 90s, their last wish is the restoration of the honor and dignity due them.”—Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee

“I consider the rescission of U.S. military status from approximately 250,000 Filipino WWII veterans who fought under U.S. command as one of the greatest injustices ever perpetrated by the Congress. After six decades of disgrace, we have the responsibility to correct this injustice and honor their service and sacrifice, and our window of opportunity to make these brave veterans whole is rapidly closing.”—Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus

“The plight of the Filipino veterans is no longer just a Filipino issue of injustice but an American issue of injustice that has been clamoring for final resolution. For those of us who believe in the cause of freedom and democracy, for those of us who believe in fairness to those who had been fought for us, we are challenged to do what is right and advocate for what they deserve.” -- Lourdes Tancinco, Chair of the San Francisco Veterans Equity Center and the National Network for Veterans Equity

“I am here before you today, representing millions of Filipino Americans and Filipinos who believe that the veterans equity issue is a matter of honor and dignity not just for our veterans, but for the whole Filipino American community.” —Alma Kern, Chair of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations

“When I stepped foot on this country a bittersweet feeling came over me. I wondered when us, Filipino veterans, will receive the recognition we deserve. Right there and then I told myself I wanted to continue to fight for Justice and equity! Luckily, there are Filipinos fighting for us. I know that the younger generations will continue to fight for us! Please continue fighting! So many of us are already old we need your voices to speak for us, to fight alongside us!! We must fight! Fight! Fight until their hearts and mind are touch by our courage and determination. Do not stop until Filipino Veterans have received FULL EQUITY!!” — Manuel Braga, Filipino World War II Veterans Foundation, San Diego County

Hawaii rep pushes the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act

Mazie K. Hirono, member of Congress of the Second District of Hawaii, called on colleagues to co-sponsor the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act.

In a letter dated February 22, 2007, Hirono said that the “bill is intended to further
recognize the World War II service of the approximately 7,000 Filipino veterans, who were naturalized under the Immigration Act of 1990 and now reside in the United States.”

The bill proposes to reunite these veterans with their adult children and exempt them “from the worldwide and numerical limitations on immigrant visas.” Hirono pointed out that many of the veterans’ children “have been on immigration waiting lists for decades.”

In her letter, Hirono said Filipinos were drafted to serve in the U.S. Armed Forces before the Philippines, then a commonwealth, was “granted independence by the United States on July 4, 1946.” She added: “Throughout World War II, these men served courageously and honorably, and there was no question that they would be treated like their American comrades-in-arms. However, this did not happen.”

Hirono said that only 20,000 of the 250,000 Filipino World War Veterans survive today. In 1990, the U.S. gave them the choice to become citizens through the Immigration Act.

Her reintroduction of the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act is intended to further honor the service of naturalized veterans by “helping them expeditiously reunite with their adult sons and daughters.”

China Airlines donates to World Vision

On March 5, China Airlines and the well-known international charity organization, World Vision Taiwan (WVT) announced a joint program that would help poor children worldwide.

Through the airlines’ duty free shopping, China Airlines and its duty free vendors will each donate 10 NTD from each purchased duty free item. The project began March 1 and will run till February 29 the following year.

The donations will be turned over to WVT to help fund its continuing efforts to help the poor, establish schools, medical care, etc. China Airlines will fly W.V.T domestically and internationally to fulfill the World Vision programs.

Before the donation project, a four-day “Flying Camp” launched on Feb. 3 provided 38 Taiwanese teenagers an educational and fun glimpse into the professional lives of airline captains and flight attendants. The teens also attended or visited the Taoyuan Aviation Science Museum, China Airlines Museum, Simulator, Sky Kitchen, Aircraft Maintenance, and Cabin Attendant Training Center. Philip Wei, Chairman of China Airlines, also dropped in to encourage attendees and hand them the red envelope associated with the customs of the Lunar New Year.