US Embassy on New Filipino WWII Veterans Benefit

PRESS RELEASE

February 18, 2009

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is reaching out to all Filipino WWII veterans regarding the new one-time lump-sum benefit payment signed into law on February 17, 2009. The United States has great respect for the bravery and service of Philippine WWII veterans and for their partnership with the U.S. military in defending freedom. This new legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, formally recognizes the service of Filipino WWII veterans as active military service in the Armed Forces for purposes of this law.

In accordance with the new law, for an individual to be eligible for payment, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs must receive the individual’s claim no later than February 16, 2010, which is one year from the date U.S. President Barack Obama signed the historic legislation.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is working to quickly implement the new U.S. law. Filipino WWII veterans can inquire about and submit claims for the new lump-sum benefit at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office located at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office will also have representatives available to accept claims at the following locations throughout the Philippines on the dates listed below:

All Filipino WWII veterans are requested to bring the following information and documentation (if applicable) when filing their claims:

• Two forms of Identification (such as passport, driver’s license, Senior Citizen ID, Bureau of Post ID, Voter ID, etc. )
• VA Claim number
• Service Number
• Philippine Veterans Affairs Office claim number
• Philippine Veterans Affairs Office Pension bank account number
• U.S. Passport (if a U.S. Citizen)

In order to provide effective, transparent service, claims will only be accepted from Filipino WWII veterans. We encourage all Filipino WW II veterans to apply in person at one of the locations listed above on the dates indicated. If a veteran is unable to appear in person, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Manila Regional Office will arrange to obtain the application in an appropriate manner. Claims from spouses, widows and children of Filipino WWII veterans will not be accepted.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is working to implement this new law in a timely and efficient manner to ensure all eligible veterans receive their rightful benefits as soon as possible. Although claims are now being accepted, information regarding the actual release of payments will be provided as it becomes available. This information will be available on the US Embassy website at http://manila.usembassy.gov

For more information please dial (632) 528-2500 within Metro Manila or from outside Manila toll-free at 1-800-1888-5252. Or contact VA via e-mail at https://iris.va.gov

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Beware, stay away from fixers and scam artist, check with the US Embassy or the US Veterans Affairs for more information.

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