Philippine WWII veterans seek equality from U.S.

MANILA, Philippines -- Something is better than nothing, Filipino veterans said Wednesday after hearing they could get lump-sum benefit payments from the U.S. government more than six decades after they fought alongside American forces during World War II. But they also said they will continue to press Washington to put them on par with their U.S. comrades-in-arms, claiming they have been short-changed and that Congress is dragging its feet as remaining survivors die of old age. The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed the "Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2008" that would make one-time payments of $15,000 to Filipinos who are U.S. citizens and $9,000 to non-U.S. Filipino veterans. "Whatever the Americans give, the Filipinos will receive," said retired Col. Francisco San Miguel, secretary general of the Veterans Federation of the Philippines. He added, however, they "will not stop seeking what is rightfully due to Filipinos. We will still seek equal treatment." Filipino veterans have been clamoring for decades for the same benefits received by their American comrades who fought the Japanese.