GMA urges Fil-Ams: Vote for 4 pro-RP US congressmen

SAN DIEGO, California (via PLDT) — The Filipino vote can no longer be ignored.

President Arroyo acknowledged this as she backed before a gathering of Filipino-Americans here the re-election bids of four American congressmen collectively known as "the Philippine Caucus" in the US Congress.

The four congressmen were given that label for their support of legislative measures that would benefit Philippine interests.

The four lawmakers endorsed by the President were Bob Filner, Randy Cunningham, Daryl Issa and Susan Davis.

Mrs. Arroyo made her pitch for the four congressmen as they came in full force at the Marriot and Marina Hotel in San Diego, where she was given a dinner reception last Sunday by the Filipino community here.

"We should all be proud of Rep. Bob Filner for his stewardship of the bill pending at the US Congress for our Filipino World War II veterans," she said.

The President introduced the rest of the Philippine Caucus one by one as each stood up to be acknowledged.

With the US and Philippine flags decorating the ballroom, the dinner reception turned into a miting de avance for the four members of Congress running for another term in the elections this November.

Mrs. Arroyo told an estimated 1,200 Filipino-Americans gathered that night that these congressmen caused the approval of the bill that seeks to expand the benefit eligibility for health care, compensation and burial benefits of Filipino World War II veterans "to the tune of $65 million" over the next five years.

Many of those who attended the reception were relatives or dependents of these veterans.

"It was the Philippine Caucus that (helped) the bill (be) passed by the US Congress. I know you Filipinos support the Philippine cause, let’s pray that this bill be passed by the US Senate," Mrs. Arroyo told the audience.

The US Senate version of the bill was authored by Hawaiian Sen. Daniel Inouye, whom Mrs. Arroyo also met in Honolulu last Thursday before flying to Mexico for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit.

In Hawaii, another Filipino-American became the highest elected official in the US in the person of Gov. Benjamin Cayetano, who is ending his second term in office. Mrs. Arroyo awarded Cayetano with the Presidential Legion of Honor for this outstanding achievement.

In the same gathering, San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy attributed his being in office to the votes he got from the estimated 300,000 Filipino-American voters in his jurisdiction.

"The Filipino community was responsible for my election as mayor," Murphy told Mrs. Arroyo before he handed her the symbolic key to the city as guest of honor.

Another elected Filipino official here in San Jose, Mayor Henry Milpitas welcomed her yesterday with yet another key to the city.

Based on the latest records of the Commission of Filipinos Overseas, the US is the major destination of Filipino immigrants. — Marichu Villanueva