Date Released: 17 February 2021 Releasing Officer: DIR. ARSENIO R. ANDOLONG Chief, Defense Communications Service

Too little, too late

World War II Veteran and US Congressional Gold Medal awardee Placido V. Laureta received his Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Compensation (FVEC) last year after 11 years of waiting. He initially filed his FVEC claim in 2009 but was denied due to the absence of a valid military service record in the US National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis, Missouri.

SEVENTY years ago today (February 18, 1946), President Harry Truman signed the Rescission Act of 1946. This law had the following Rider:

Service before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Government of the Commonwealth of the , while such forces were in the service of the Armed Forces of the pursuant to the military order of the President dated July 26, 1941, including among such military forces organized guerrila forces under commanders appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized by the Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or other competent authority in the Army of the United States, SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN ACTIVE MILITARY, NAVAL or AIR SERVICE FOR THE PURPOSE OF ANY

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LAW of the United States CONFERRING RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, OR BENEFITS upon any person by reason of the service of such person or the service of any other person in the US Armed Forces.

With the stroke of a pen, 261,000 WW2 Filipino Veterans lost all benefits due them for their service to the USA during the war.

What followed was a long campaign for the restoration of these benefits that started in the 60s culminating with the passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund in 2009 that granted a one-time payment of $9,000 for US-based and $15,000 for Philippine- based veterans; and the award of the Congressional Gold Medal in 2016. These benefits and recognition came too little, too late because by then only 18,000 of the WW2 Filipino veterans have survived.

We remember this date to highlight, recognize and honor the sacrifices of our WW2 veterans in their quest for the restoration of their wartime benefits that took several decades to realize. # # # #

/dndphl @dndphl /defense ph DND Press Release | Page 2 of 2