Memorial Day Empowerment Message for All.
Memorial Day, a Day of Remembrance, Are Filipino American veterans honored for their service 60 years too late?
Toledo, Ohio (May 30, 2005) - Memorial Day has always been a day of remembrance for many Asian Pacific Americans, especially Filipino American veterans. After nearly 60 years, approximately 9,000 Filipino American veterans are finally honored as United States Veterans, for having agreed to fight as “one” nation during World War II.
Filipino American veterans have proudly remembered those who served the United States as “one” nation on Memorial Day, even though they were not yet recognized. It wasn’t until December 30, 2003 that Filipino American veterans of World War II were afforded full United States veteran benefits promised to them.
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When President Roosevelt issued Military Order No. 1 on July 26, 1941, nearly 200,000 Filipinos responded, as they were promised that when then become U.S. citizens, they would have the same benefits given to all other U.S. veterans. The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that as many as 9,000 Filipino veterans living in the United States who are citizens or lawfully admitted for permanent residence may be eligible for some of the expanded benefits.
Ponn M. Sabra, MPH, Women’s Empowerment Author, diverts her message away from women entrepreneurs today on Memorial Day to honor her late grandfather Quintin A. Paredes, Geodetic, Aeronautical Engineer, and a proud Filipino American Veteran of World War II who died on May 3, 2003, without the full benefits as a U.S. Veteran.
Ponn states, that “I want to empower everyone today, to honor all veterans and present Armed Forces who are fighting for the “cause of ‘one’ nation under God” and to be conscientious that men and women are dying everyday with and without the benefits or official titles granted by the United States government. Brave men and women have been fighting for years misled and misguided by the American government; yet proudly fight for the cause of what they believe to be “freedom”. My grandfather died 7 months short of receiving his benefits, which he and many brave veterans fought their whole lives to receive, because each one of them believed in the promises of the President of their times. It took nearly 60 years for the U.S. Congress to ratify President Roosevelt’s promise, and most of these Filipino veterans immigrated to the U.S. by their own means, fought their whole lives to be heard, and are now dead. This struggle for VA benefits is not specific to World War II, as every war has its unsupported or unheard heros. Grandpa entered the U.S. Army of the Far East when he was 20 years old, and still never saw benefits. As a citizen of the United States, I’m going to remember and contemplate on all the promises that have been made to our veterans and those fighting today in this global war on terror. Please join me.”
According to the Marine Corps celebration report of the 2005 Theme “Liberty and Freedom for all” for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, “Through our nation’s history Asian Pacific Americans have made significant contributions through military service. In the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War and the current global was on terrorism, Asian Pacific Americans served and sacrificed for our nation’s liberty and freedom”.
Links of all the above references:
Marines - 2005 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Department of Veteran Affairs, News Release: Filipino Veterans Gain New BenefitsDecember 30, 2003
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Posted on May 30th, 2005 by ponnsabra
Filed under: Entrepreneurialism
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