Bitter late, almost never

The US-Japan war during World War II ended in Allies victory in 1944 after Gen. Douglas MacArthur made good his historic promise of "I shall return". That epic return made MacArthur and the American nation as heroes to the "little brown American brothers".

But it has taken 64 years - and still counting - when the end of the tunnel is still obscure. Many USAFFE Filipino veterans of the Bataan, Corregidor, and guerilla battles and skirmishes who held through over half a century of waiting and waiting, have gradually passed away. Most frustrated in abject poverty, others may have been gasping for last breath in fortitude. Their Bataan Death March and their guerilla warfare that earned American plaudits and promise for war benefits were all empty.

Out of many thousands of young vets, only some dwindling 18,115 doddering old and sickly, hardly ambulant in their late 80s have stayed put.

Picking up from the pioneering cudgels of Hawaiian US Senator Inouye, himself a wounded WWII vet, Senator Daniel Akaka also fought for Filipino vets in the US Senate that passed a modest pension last April. Lately the US House passed the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2008 granting one-time payment of $15T to Filipino vets who are US citizens and $9T to the USAFFE vets non-US citizens. The Senate and House bills have yet to be fleshed out in the bicameral conference committee.

While news reports have been optimistic for results to take effect, it's not yet a done deal. The US presidential election changes the White House leadership, along with 35 of the Senate and those of the House come November 4 and, with Congress altered in February 2009 in Capitol Hill, the fate of the Filipino vets is still uncertain. Besides, note that it's not a lifetime or monthly pension in the House version, but a one-time payment, though quite sizeable because of the dollar-peso exchange rate.

When shall the benefits be finally paid, if at all? Can all the dwindling 18,115 qualify, or only those alive when the law becomes effective? Remember, the manna depends on a time factor and, the ageing of the old vets can't wait beyond the 64 years forever.

Besides, the US economy is in recession triggered by the subprime housing mortgage loans reddening to bad debts, and becoming useless credits to the mortgagee banks. Hence, many banks getting bankrupt. The frantic $700 B bailout initiated by lame-duck Bush to save the banks and the economy that the House had turned down has just narrowly revived.

To recall, when Filipino youth showed interest to join the USAFFE with the advent of the 2nd global war, the monetary reward or pension perhaps didn't figure at the start to most. However, when then US President Franklin D. Roosevelt conscripted Filipino youth into the USAFFE on July 26, 1941, they were promised veterans benefits of the US Army.

After the war, the US Congress took back the promise by the Recessions Act of 1946, shunting off the benefit from those who had not begun receiving it as not in active duty. Well, that's how Filipino USAFFE vets have been unfairly treated and discriminated against, despite actual service in a war involving the American cause.

It's not exactly a better late than never odds for the "little brown brothers" at this stage. The US Senate and House Bills are yet nebulous; USA is in recession and its $700 B bailout is still volatile; it's election year for new president and possibly new Congress majority to lead Washington D.C., the largest $482 B deficit ever stands; there's an on-going $12 B monthly drain in Iraq; and, the world economic crisis and the climate change apocalypse continue to threaten.

Is there any chance for Filipino WWII vets to taste serendipity?

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