36,000 Pinoy war veterans apply for cash benefit

MANILA, Philippines - Almost 36,000 Filipino World War II veterans have applied for the one-time cash benefit from the United States government, the Department of National Defense said yesterday.

Yesterday was the last day for filing of applications for the lump sum payment as provided under the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, which US President Barack Obama signed into law last year.

Latest figures from the defense department showed that a total of 35,730 claims have been filed, nearly double the 18,000 estimated number of eligible Filipino World War II veterans.

Defense Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina said 6,200 of these applications have been approved for non-US citizens, while 6,230 have been granted to US citizens.

Filipino veterans who are US citizens are entitled to a cash benefit of $15,000, while non-US citizens will receive $9,000, he added.

Around 60 percent or close to $120 million of these funds have already been disbursed, he said.

Carolina said Filipino World War II veterans and their families were properly informed about the processes involved in applying for the claims.

“We have been advertising this for a year,” he said.

“The US Department of Veterans Affairs have been sending their personnel to our field offices in PVAO (Philippine Veterans Affairs office) so they can accept last-minute claims,” he said.

Carolina said they also sent letters to eligible applicants who lack the necessary requirements.                 – Alexis Romero