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Hawaii Filipino Community Center 10th Anniversary Bayanihan Gala Dinner
Remarks of U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka
Sat, October 6, 2012
Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom
Mabuhay! Aloha!
Salamat po - mahalo - for honoring me here tonight at your 10th Anniversary Bayanihan Gala Dinner.
It is fitting that tonight's theme is "PAGDIRIWANG AT PASASALAMAT," -- "celebration and appreciation," because those are the feelings that I would most like to share with you tonight. Let's celebrate all we have accomplished together for the Filipino community.
Hawaii would not be Hawaii without Filipinos. You bring so much to our diverse islands. Everyone in Hawaii enjoys Filipino culture. You contribute to our community. And you all look great tonight in your Filipino formal attire!
Salamat to everyone at the Fil Com Center for your tireless advocacy for the Filipino Community. In particular, it has been a pleasure to work with you to honor the World War II Filipino veterans who helped our nation achieve victory.
The Filipinos served with distinction under United States command and deserve to be remembered forever for their heroic acts and bravery on behalf of our nation.
I consider it one of my career highlights that, with your help, we were able to enact a law that finally honors them for their service to our nation.
As a veteran of World War II, I believe in the soldier's creed, leave no man behind.
The United States has a moral obligation to look after those who have served.
The commitment we make to those men and women -- when they sacrifice for our freedom -- is among the most sacred duties our country has.
As many of you know, in 1941, over 200,000 Filipinos were conscripted into the United States armed services. And they rose to the challenge, serving honorably during World War II, and helping us defeat imperial Japan.
They put their lives on the line to help us win the war.
Sadly, just five years later, a national tragedy occurred when Congress stripped the Filipino veterans of veteran status in the United States -- and with it the benefits that they earned through their service. I have always felt this was an injustice that must be corrected.
In the decades that followed, members of the Filipino community worked tirelessly to secure restitution and provide equity for all the Filipino veterans.
The first major victory came in the Immigration Act of 1990, which included a provision that gave the World War II veterans who were still Filipino citizens an opportunity to obtain U.S. citizenship.
In 2007, when I took over the Chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I made fixing this injustice a priority of the committee.
I authored several bills to help our Filipino veterans, including the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, which would have provided a monthly pension to Filipino World War II veterans.
I got this bill passed through the Senate, over the objections of the top Republican on the Veterans Committee.
He accused me of trying to take money from American veterans to help the Filipinos, whom he pointed out are foreign nationals - ignoring of course the valiant heroism they displayed under U.S. command, the fact that we had made a commitment to care for them, and the reality that time was running out to honor them.
I also authored the Filipino Family Reunification Act. This bill would allow World War II veterans who took advantage of past opportunities to gain U.S. citizenship -- to bring their children over here to the U.S. with them.
It would allow these honorable veterans to live out their golden years surrounded by their families in this great nation they fought to defend.
Though Congress has unfortunately failed to pass any meaningful immigration reform in recent years, I will continue to advocate for this bill for the rest of my term, and I expect my colleagues on the Hawaii Congressional Delegation to continue the fight.
In 2009, I helped develop a provision which was enacted into law -- as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- that granted recognition for their service under U.S. command and authorized the payment of benefits to the 30-thousand surviving Filipino veterans.
I wish that this recognition could have been achieved sooner, when more of them were living, but I am grateful for that fact that now -- their honor is enshrined forever in law -- and will never be forgotten by our grateful nation.
It wasn't easy, but with the help of the Filipino Community, we accomplished this together.
I count myself among the many, many Americans who are eternally grateful for what they did. Let's have a round of applause to thank our World War II Filipino veterans.
In closing, I want to say that it has been a true honor and privilege to serve and represent you in Congress for 36 years. Salamat for your trust and faith in me throughout my career.
I have been blessed over the years to have so much support from the Filipino community. I express my salamat for all the work you have done with me, my staff, and the entire Hawaii Congressional delegation, to make many of our goals a reality.
I wish you the best of luck and I extend my warmest aloha as you continue forward, supporting Hawaii's Filipino community, honoring our veterans, and making Hawaii a better place.
Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!
God bless you. God bless Hawaii. God bless the Philippines. And God bless the United States of America.
Mabuhay! Aloha!
Salamat po - mahalo - for honoring me here tonight at your 10th Anniversary Bayanihan Gala Dinner.
It is fitting that tonight's theme is "PAGDIRIWANG AT PASASALAMAT," -- "celebration and appreciation," because those are the feelings that I would most like to share with you tonight. Let's celebrate all we have accomplished together for the Filipino community.
Hawaii would not be Hawaii without Filipinos. You bring so much to our diverse islands. Everyone in Hawaii enjoys Filipino culture. You contribute to our community. And you all look great tonight in your Filipino formal attire!
Salamat to everyone at the Fil Com Center for your tireless advocacy for the Filipino Community. In particular, it has been a pleasure to work with you to honor the World War II Filipino veterans who helped our nation achieve victory.
The Filipinos served with distinction under United States command and deserve to be remembered forever for their heroic acts and bravery on behalf of our nation.
I consider it one of my career highlights that, with your help, we were able to enact a law that finally honors them for their service to our nation.
As a veteran of World War II, I believe in the soldier's creed, leave no man behind.
The United States has a moral obligation to look after those who have served.
The commitment we make to those men and women -- when they sacrifice for our freedom -- is among the most sacred duties our country has.
As many of you know, in 1941, over 200,000 Filipinos were conscripted into the United States armed services. And they rose to the challenge, serving honorably during World War II, and helping us defeat imperial Japan.
They put their lives on the line to help us win the war.
Sadly, just five years later, a national tragedy occurred when Congress stripped the Filipino veterans of veteran status in the United States -- and with it the benefits that they earned through their service. I have always felt this was an injustice that must be corrected.
In the decades that followed, members of the Filipino community worked tirelessly to secure restitution and provide equity for all the Filipino veterans.
The first major victory came in the Immigration Act of 1990, which included a provision that gave the World War II veterans who were still Filipino citizens an opportunity to obtain U.S. citizenship.
In 2007, when I took over the Chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, I made fixing this injustice a priority of the committee.
I authored several bills to help our Filipino veterans, including the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act, which would have provided a monthly pension to Filipino World War II veterans.
I got this bill passed through the Senate, over the objections of the top Republican on the Veterans Committee.
He accused me of trying to take money from American veterans to help the Filipinos, whom he pointed out are foreign nationals - ignoring of course the valiant heroism they displayed under U.S. command, the fact that we had made a commitment to care for them, and the reality that time was running out to honor them.
I also authored the Filipino Family Reunification Act. This bill would allow World War II veterans who took advantage of past opportunities to gain U.S. citizenship -- to bring their children over here to the U.S. with them.
It would allow these honorable veterans to live out their golden years surrounded by their families in this great nation they fought to defend.
Though Congress has unfortunately failed to pass any meaningful immigration reform in recent years, I will continue to advocate for this bill for the rest of my term, and I expect my colleagues on the Hawaii Congressional Delegation to continue the fight.
In 2009, I helped develop a provision which was enacted into law -- as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- that granted recognition for their service under U.S. command and authorized the payment of benefits to the 30-thousand surviving Filipino veterans.
I wish that this recognition could have been achieved sooner, when more of them were living, but I am grateful for that fact that now -- their honor is enshrined forever in law -- and will never be forgotten by our grateful nation.
It wasn't easy, but with the help of the Filipino Community, we accomplished this together.
I count myself among the many, many Americans who are eternally grateful for what they did. Let's have a round of applause to thank our World War II Filipino veterans.
In closing, I want to say that it has been a true honor and privilege to serve and represent you in Congress for 36 years. Salamat for your trust and faith in me throughout my career.
I have been blessed over the years to have so much support from the Filipino community. I express my salamat for all the work you have done with me, my staff, and the entire Hawaii Congressional delegation, to make many of our goals a reality.
I wish you the best of luck and I extend my warmest aloha as you continue forward, supporting Hawaii's Filipino community, honoring our veterans, and making Hawaii a better place.
Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat!
God bless you. God bless Hawaii. God bless the Philippines. And God bless the United States of America.
-END-
