Filipino WWII veterans' stories, fight for equity told in new docu

A new documentary highlights how Filipino-Americans in San Francisco formed an organization to support Filipino World War 2 veterans.

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jBeDLwfI2TI?&amp;ab_channel=ABS-CBNNews&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>Just in time for Veterans Day, community members gathered at the Marines Memorial Theater in San Francisco to watch the premiere of the documentary film &quot;Pursuit Against Time: Filipino World War Two Veterans.&quot;The movie highlights the stories of aging Filipino World War 2 veterans who migrated to the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1990s.It also tells the story of how the Veterans Equity Center, now known as the Bayanihan Equity Center, was created to take care of the veterans and push for legislation that would grant them full military benefits.“There are a lot of documentaries out there, but the uniqueness of our documentaries is that it humanizes our Filipino World War 2 veterans,&quot; said Luisa Antonio of the Bayanihan Equity Center. &quot;It chronicles their lives.&quot;The center&#x27;s executive director added that the documentary also highlights a community formed through the efforts of leaders, students, and allies in Congress.&quot;We are able to lift up this issue nationally and, at the very least, advocate for the passage of equity,&quot; Antonio said.It was in 1941 when more than 260,000 Filipino soldiers answered then-President Franklin Roosevelt’s call to fight under the American flag during World War 2.And despite their service and sacrifice, the U.S. Congress passed the Rescission Act of 1946, which denied these Filipino soldiers of full benefits.The Bayanihan Equity Center created the documentary in order for the community to continue the stories and legacy of the Filipino World War 2 veterans.Ging Reyes, who led ABS-CBN News for over a decade until her retirement in January 2023, said the fight is not only for its monetary value. &quot;It’s about the recognition that this country should give them,&quot; she said. &quot;These [Filipino] veterans fought side by side with American soldiers during World War 2. [They] fought for freedom and for democracy.&quot;&quot;Especially now, at this very crucial time in the world’s history, we should do everything we can to right this wrong,&quot; Reyes added.Bernadette Sy of the Bayanihan Community Center said the documentary not only shows the injustices committed against Filipino war veterans but also gives a human side to their story. &quot;To see their lives, how they lived, it&#x27;s heartbreaking,&quot; she said. &quot;[It] will tug on the heartstrings of our Filipino-Americans for sure.&quot;According to the National World War Two Museum, there are an estimated 1,750 living World War 2 Filipino veterans, with less than 500  living in the U.S.“There are a lot of students out there, family members, and grandchildren who, because of their passing, will not be able to talk to their lawyers,&quot; said Antonio. &quot;So, it is through documentaries like this that they are able to at least have a glimpse of how their lives were and also understand that there is a community that actually came together and lifted up the issues of their loss.”According to the Bayanihan Equity Center, there are plans to show the documentary in various cities around the U.S.

A new documentary highlights how Filipino-Americans in San Francisco formed an organization to support Filipino World War 2 veterans.

New documentary tells Filipino WWII veterans' stories amid fight for full equity | ABS-CBN

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New documentary tells Filipino WWII veterans' stories amid fight for full equity

New documentary tells Filipino WWII veterans' stories amid fight for full equity

ABS-CBN News,

Rommel Conclara | TFC News San Francisco

Published Nov 15, 2024 09:21 PM PHT

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