AFP official: Republican victory a boost to RP-US military ties

WASHINGTON DC — Following the Republican victory in the US midterm elections, Philippine Embassy officials and Filipino-American war veterans here see closer military cooperation between the United States and the Philippines in the war against terrorism.

Brig. Gen. Delfin Lorenzana, Philippine defense and Armed Forces attaché, said with Republicans in control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, he is confident the US Congress would restore a $30-million military aid to the Philippines, which was cut earlier because of a budget deficit.

"I see more support, if not in dollars and cents, certainly in equipment and training, and all the things we normally get from the US," he said.

Lorenzana said he expects the US global war on terrorism to be carried out with renewed vigor because of the Republican electoral victory.

"This should mean more help for us in our own fight against terrorism in the southern Philippines," he said.

On the other hand, Filipino-American war veterans said the Republican win could improve their chances of getting health care for non-service related illnesses.

Eric Lachica, executive director of the Washington-based American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, said bills favoring Filipino war veterans would have a better chance of being passed in both houses of Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush.

"If not now, certainly with the new Congress in January," he said. "The next step would be to press for benefits for the 34,000 veterans residing in the Philippines."

The veterans bill would be approved before the lame-duck Congress adjourns in early December, he added.

One of those pending in US Congress is the Veterans Health Care and Procurement Improvement Bill, which seeks to provide an annual budget expenditure of $11.6 million for the health care needs of Filipino World War II veterans in the US.

With the Republican victory, the effort of Bush to push his legislative agenda could have been strengthened.

Traditionally, the party holding the White House loses seats in Congress during midterm elections.

However, Bush’s handling of last year’s Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the US boosted his popularity, and kept at record levels, enabled the Republicans to ride his coattails to victory.

In the 100-member Senate, 51 seats went to the Republicans, 46 to the Democrats, one to an independent, and two are still undecided.

In the 435-member House of Representatives, the Republicans took 226 seats, Democrats 204, independent one, and four undecided.