A little light, at sunset
Manila Times – A SMALL victory for the Filipino war veterans is the passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill last week in the United States Senate. Recognition for the valor of Filipinos who fought for the defense of the United States and the Philippines during World War II came 62 years late. The beneficiaries—a small band of venerable citizens—are falling in numbers as age, disease and death decimate their ranks.
It would not be surprising if President Bush vetoes the bill if it passes the House and the lawmakers agree on an omnibus model. Washington reports say the White House has opposed the measure, believing the little money it provides is better spent on America’s adventures in Iraq and Afghanistan.
There is little to cheer about the Senate gesture. Of course the bill passed by a wide margin. And Filipinos (and Americans of Filipino descent) have confirmed anew they could count on Senators Daniel Inouye, Hillary Clinton and others who know how to recognize a debt and how to fulfill a promise.
US military aid to the Philippines, the observers remind us, is a pittance and is always at risk of diminution. Perhaps we should not complain because the Philippine Senate closed down the US military bases in the 1990s and President Arroyo backed out of the US-led war in Iraq over the fate of a Filipino overseas worker.
America places its veterans high on the national pantheon. It sets aside a day of the year to pay them homage. To optimize services, the government in 1989 elevated the Veterans Administration to a full-blown Cabinet department. The nation’s highest honors are conferred on its bravest officers and soldiers.
Filipinos, too, regard their veterans as pillars of the community. Their record is outstanding: fighting for freedom in the last world war, in several foreign conflicts, and keeping peace in troubled countries. In the 1890s, Filipino troops—short in arms and bodies—fought two colonial armies, the Spaniards and the Americans, in succession.
Two weeks ago President Arroyo signed a bill expanding their rights and benefits. It wasn’t about the money and the little security it promised. It was a matter of honor and dignity. But there is a shortage of memory and respect across the Pacific.
After the Filipino-American War, American authors and textbooks referred to the bloody conflict as the “Philippine Insurrection” as if the Filipinos had rebelled against an established government. The Filipinos who fought for freedom along with Americans in Bataan and in the hills during the enemy occupation had to fight for their rights for 62 years. They got some money last week, but, we think, little respect.
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January 6th, 2009 23:17
Excellent Website! May others enjoy this wonderful country as we have!