A Broken Promise

In the Filipino- American community, one of the most critical long-time issues is the broken promise of the U.S. government to those Filipino veterans who fought alongside the American military forces during World War II. These forgotten heroes still wait for the benefits that were once promised by the U.S. government. Of the 66 countries recognized for their help under the U.S. military service during the war, the Filipino soldiers are the only group yet to be fully acknowledged. Throughout the years, these Filipino veterans have received only partial benefits such as receiving U.S. citizenship and access to care in hospitals, clinics as well as nursing homes but the benefits still have not been completed. Although time after time, those benefits have been on and off. These veterans were and still are not eligible for non-war related disability pensions that other non-Filipino World War II veterans have received. As well as receiving less money then promised, Filipino war veterans are growing restless and old waiting for the time they can receive the full benefits they have been wishing for. Our U.S. government must realize that these forgotten heroes have done so much for America during WWII and should award the Filipino veterans the full benefits they deserve and were promised.
Before World War II, a big problem for Filipinos was citizenship in the United States. Immigration laws in which "for such purposes the Philippine Island shall be considered as a separate country and shall have for each fiscal year a quota of fifty" (Catapusan 39). These laws made immigration nearly impossible for Filipinos to become citizens of the United States. However, Filipinos who had gained U.S. citizenship found themselves being treated as aliens. Even after becoming U.S. citizens, these Filipinos felt they weren't receiving the same equal rights and protection a U.S. citizen should be given. Although it was tough to gain citizenship, many Filipinos discovered a loophole by