JFAV Marks 66th USAFFE Day,US Filipino Vets March on Capitol Hill July 26

Los Angeles -- No Justice, No Peace!

The Justice for FIlipino American Veterans( JFAV) and the remaining Filipino World War II veterans in California will mark the 66th anniversary of the 1941Military Order of President Franklin D.Roosevelt drafting Philippine Commonwealth soldiers into U.S. armed service.

On July 26, 1941, Roosevelt ordered the formation of the United States Armed Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) placing all Filipino forces under the U.S Command. This is in preparation for World War II. retired general Douglas Macarthur was designated as the field marshal placing the 120,000 Philippine Army, Constabulary, navy and aircorps and all Filipino ROTC reserve units under US Command.

But despite this very clear consription order for 61 years, the Filipinos were discriminated, remained unrecognized and exluded from benefits that they deserved.

Greatly energized by recent victories,the JFAV leaders led by Commanders Peping Baclig, Eugenio Mondok, Franco Arcebal and Jack Vergara will conduct series of fundraising events, meetings and help registering green card holders for their last minute registration for citizenship to mark this events.. They are also preparing for the 7th Annual Veterans Day Parade in Historic Filipinotown in November 11, 2007

People's CORE and JFAV will also participate in the two day Historic Filipinotown Festival on August 4 and 5 that will feature a 5Krun/wal from Burlington St to 3rd St back at th finish line at Brulington and Court St. More than 300 runners and walkers are expected to participate in a 2 day commemoration of the 5th eyar of Historictown designation by the city.

Washington Day Rally/Conference

On the other hand, JFAV leaders and the American Coalition for FilipinoVeterans will also march in Washington DC and visit congress on Thursday, July 26 to thank senators & House members for the progresson their equity pension and family bills.

ACFV leaders will lobby door-to-door to ensure passage of their equity bill and revive their family reunification bills before congressional session that ends in October.

They will seek commitments from their representatives to quickly pass their bills before the month-long recess that begins on August 3. Earlier on May 24, the full Senate overwhelmingly voted (87 to 9) for the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification amendment of Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-HI). However the underlying controversial Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill was blocked by Republicans and conservative. democrats.

On June 27, the Senate VA Committee approved and included their equity pension bill introduced by Senators Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) in.omnibus bill S. 1315.

On July 17, the House Veterans Affairs Committee chaired by Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA) approved the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, H.R. 760.

For more information please call Arturo P. Garcia@(213)241-0996 or email at jfav_causa@yahoo.com