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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 17, 2002

> **U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Lauds Heroic Filipino Veterans,**

### Concludes First Official Visit to the Philippines

## MANILA, Philippines \-- U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi today concluded an official, two-day visit to the Philippines. The visit was notable as the first visit to the Philippines of a U.S. Cabinet official under the administration of President George W. Bush and as the first-ever official visit of a Veterans Affairs Secretary to this country, where Filipino and American soldiers fought shoulder-to-shoulder in World War II.

> Noting the U.S. debt to Filipino veterans of World War II, the
> Secretary began his official visit with a trip yesterday to
> Corregidor, where he lauded "the heroic Filipino men and women who
> sacrificed so much to liberate their beloved country and who helped
> the allies emerge victorious from World War II." He noted that the
> 60^th^ anniversary of the infamous Bataan Death March was recently
> observed in both countries and praised the Philippines for the
> "extraordinarily fruitful contributions" it has been making to the
> international war on terrorism.

## During his round of meetings in Manila, Secretary Principi met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and thanked her for the Philippine government's support in the global war against terrorism. He also pledged to work with the U.S. Congress on expanded eligibility for VA healthcare and increased benefits for Filipino veterans and for the restoration of a grant in the form of medical equipment for the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) in Quezon City. The visiting American official also met with the Administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, Commodore Artemio Arugay, and with representatives of veterans' groups. 

The Secretary also laid a wreath at the Manila American Cemetery and
Memorial, met with U.S. Ambassador Francis J. Ricciardone and other
Embassy

**- More -**

## Philippines 2/2/2/2

Officials and paid a call on the officers and 200 Filipino employees of
the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs' Manila Regional Office and
Outpatient Clinic, where he inspected the operation of the Department's
sole overseas office.

## The Manila Office dispenses each month over \$11 million dollars in benefits to eligible veterans and an additional \$8 million monthly in Social Security benefits. More than 5,000 veterans living in the Philippines receive compensation from this office, and nearly 1,000 more receive pension benefits. An additional 6,300 dependents of eligible veterans receive dependency and indemnity compensation, and another 3,300 receive death pensions.

In formal remarks at an April 16 luncheon jointly hosted by the U.S.
Veterans Affairs Office and the Veterans Federation of the Philippines
in Manila, Secretary Principi cited efforts in the United States to
significantly expand the kinds of benefits offered to Filipino veterans
of World War II. He noted that in 1999, the U.S. Congress offered a
special Social Security benefit to Filipino veterans of World War II and
allowed eligible veterans to return to the Philippines and retain 75
percent of that benefit. In 2000, Commonwealth Army veterans and
veterans of Recognized Guerilla Forces were offered veterans disability
compensation at the full statutory rate if they are permanent legal
residents of the United States. Other veterans became eligible to
receive VA health care if they are permanent U.S. residents receiving
disability compensation from the VA Department. Also in 2000,
Commonwealth Army and Recognized Guerrilla veterans became eligible to
be buried in VA national cemeteries if they were permanent residents of
the U.S. at the time of their deaths.

The Veterans Affairs Secretary acknowledged that there are other VA
benefits for which Filipino veterans and their families \-- in the
Philippines and in the U.S. \-- would like to be eligible. He stated
that the U.S. Congress has several proposals now under consideration,
noting that should these become law, they will be implemented "promptly,
efficiently, and effectively."

"Your voices [are]{.underline} being heard," the Secretary stated.

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