Community leaders and advocates for the rights of Filipino World War II veterans found a creative way to convey their call for justice, by establishing the Veterans Equity Center on Veterans Day in the United States of America on 11 November 1999. Certainly, Filipino World War II veterans have seen hope with the founding of VEC.
VEC plays a major role in organizing other national organizations to gather support for the passage of a Filipino Veterans Equity Bill that recognizes the services of Filipino veterans during the World War II and making them eligible to receive veterans benefits like their American veteran counterparts. Through the Center’s advocacy, veterans receive free support services funded by the City and County of San Francisco. At state level, VEC was successful in organizing Filipino veterans in the Bay Area to oppose the proposal of the Governor of California to the California Veterans Cash Benefits (CVCB) for veterans who had gone home to the Philippines. Nationally, VEC has been instrumental in keeping the issue of veterans equity and the struggle to pass a Filipino Veterans Equity Bill alive. VEC also provides the veterans with information and updates on pending bills, laws and assistance that affect them.
Funded by the San Francisco Department of Aging and Adult Services – Office on Aging, VEC provides case management and community services to Filipino World War II veterans, their immediate family members and other elderly immigrants residing in San Francisco and its neighboring counties. Case management services include referral, counseling, and case monitoring on their conditions, particularly health related problems and concerns.
In partnership with the Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach and a number of Filipino lawyers in the Bay Area, VEC provides free legal consultation to Filipino veterans and their families on cases regarding immigration law, benefits’ appeal, tenants’ rights, elder abuse, and referral services to other non-profit legal services on cases that do not fall within their lawyer’s expertise. Regular workshops covering various topics on legal issues are being conducted at the Center.
Also, in collaboration with the San Francisco Food Bank, VEC distributes a supply of supplemental groceries to very low-income elders including the Filipino veterans and other minority elders who live in the South of Market and Tenderloin Districts in San Francisco. Over 200 Filipino elders with very limited income receive supplemental groceries to augment the food they are able to buy with their meager monthly Supplemental Security Income.
VEC initiated the Mano Po Lolo Program which is an inter-generational youth/student and elderly war veteran buddy program that provides various recreational activities including field trips for the veterans, to combat their isolation and loneliness. Group activities are also being organized at the Center for the socialization of the veterans.
As an effort to educate the community regarding veterans issues, VEC has established a Resource Center of literature and information materials relating to the history and current status of Filipino-American World War II veterans which is available for public view.
For its dedicated and service to Filipino World War II veterans and other elderly immigrants, VEC was a recipient of several recognitions and commendations from the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco, Senate of the United States, Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco, California State Assembly, and the California Legislature Assembly. The most recent recognition was the Community Legislative Hero Award given by the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus Institute on 6 June 2006.
In conferring the Banaag Award to Veterans Equity Center, the President recognizes its invaluable contribution to the promotion of the welfare of Filipino American World War II veterans through its advocacy and campaign for their equity rights, and for its innovative programs to meet their urgent needs.
