Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles -- The Filipino American Veterans continue to fight as they see their comrades fall around them. 250,000 enlisted to aid the American forces in World War II, and only 40,000 are still alive, of which 10,000 live in America.

After a 61-year battle for their benefits, the Filipino veterans are one step closer to receiving their equity with the passing of H.R. 760 and S. 1315 through the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees. But we are still working on the full passage of H.R. 760 and S. 1315 for Filipino Veterans Equity and H.R. 1287 and S. 671 for Family Reunification.

The Filipino Veterans Equity bills will amend the Recision Act of 1946, deeming their service as active and entitling them to the benefits that rightfully deserve. The Family Reunification bills will exempt the children of the Filipino American Veterans from the various limitations on immigrant visas, allowing them to join their parents and care for them.

This is the final push. Without the passage of such important bills, the veterans will never get the recognition and justice they rightfully deserve.

The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV) and Peoples Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (CORE) will hold the 7th annual Veterans Parade and Community Fair on Sunday, November 11, 2007 in Historic Filipinotown in Downtown LA.

This community event will celebrate the contributions of the Filipino Veterans to this country as well as the history they have made for the Filipino-American community. However, their fight is not over, as this affair also strives to bring attention to the current issue facing these aging veterans.

The community event will start and end at the Lake St. Park on North Lake St. in between Beverly Blvd. and Court St. (227 North Lake Street Los Angeles, CA 90026). The parade will start at 10:00 a.m. at the park, and the community fair will begin immediately after the parade. Elected officials are scheduled to appear and make statements of support for the cause. Community members and students are coming out to this community event from all over Southern California. People's Core, along with American Coalition for Filipino Veterans, Inc, Search to Involve Filipino Americans, Samahang Pilipino at UCLA, and Kaba at UCI, are a few of the many organizations that make up Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), an alliance of Filipino World War II veterans, youth, students and community advocates based in Southern California.

For more information please contact Rhommel Canare of Samahang Pilipino at UC Los Angeles at 619-917-9133, Michael Nailat of JFAV at 949-294-8645 or Franco Arcebal of ACFV at 213-626-0485.

Makibaka Huwag Matakot!

Labels: Filipino Veterans, World War II