By Jerry E. Esplanada
Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 06:44:00 02/13/2010
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino World War II veterans or their widows have only four days left to apply for one-time benefits—ranging from $9,000 to $15,000 (about P415,980 to P693,300)—from Washington, according to the US Embassy in Manila.
In a statement, the US diplomatic mission said applications should be received by the US Department of Veterans Affairs (USDVA) by Feb. 16.
The benefits, created by the 2009 Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Arra) of 2009, are available only to “eligible veterans or their widows who applied before the veterans’ death.”
The Arra, signed into law by President Barack Obama in February, aims to “recognize the service of qualified World War II veterans.”
“Every application is handled expeditiously so that qualified veterans receive their payments as quickly as possible,” said the US embassy.
It also said, “any change in the law to provide these additional benefits to other survivors would require new legislation in the US Congress.”
As of Dec. 29, the USDVA had approved the applications of more than 11,300 Filipino war veterans or their widows who were paid a total of nearly P6.4 billion.
“Approximately half of the benefits paid out so far has gone to war veterans with American citizenship with the other half to non-US citizen war veterans,” said the embassy.
The mission clarified “there is no master list of eligible veterans for this new, one-time benefit. Each claim is unique and decided on its own merits. All veterans who feel they may be eligible are encouraged to apply immediately.”
The application process is free and simple and there is no need to pay anyone to assist in completing the application forms, which can be mailed to the US embassy.
However, “simply mailing the application by the (Feb. 16) deadline is not sufficient. It must be received by the USDVA by the deadline.”
http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20100213-252930/War-vets
