04 April 2016 – The Philippine Consul General to New York Mario L. De Leon, Jr., together with Consul Felipe Carino, recently paid a call on the district directors of Representatives Tim Murphy and Ryan Costello, respectively, in Pennsylvania to talk about advancing the bill awarding the U.S. Congressional Medal to Filipino Veterans of World War II, otherwise known as HR 2737. Consul General De Leo spoke with Mr. Kori Walter, district director for Representative Costello (PA6-R) and Mr. John Spinner, district official working for Representative Murphy (PA18-R) as part of the Consulate General’s efforts to reach out and gather sponsors for HR 2737.

The Consul General explained that the bill’s primary intent is to recognize the service and valor of Filipino Veterans that they rendered during WWII, when many Filipinos served as volunteers in guerilla and regular army units under the command of the U.S. Forces. He mentioned that the Consulate General is gathering support for this bill in cooperation with the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. and other Philippine Consulates General in the U.S.

Previously, the U.S. Congress awarded the medal to other veteran minority groups such as the Tuskegee airmen, Montford marines, Navajo code talkers, and Japanese-American Nisei soldiers. The bill does not entail additional recognition or benefits to veterans and only appropriates $30,000 for the minting of a single gold medal to be displayed at the Smithsonian, he added.

Consul General De Leon likewise extended an invitation to both Representatives to join the US-Philippine Caucus in the U.S. Congress, which currently has 69 members.

The outreach is a regular undertaking of the Consulate General together with the Filipino community to inform U.S. elected officials of pending legislation of note and importance to the Filipino-American community and the Philippines. END