Order Code RL33876
Overview of Filipino Veterans’ Benefits
February 14, 2007
Sidath Viranga Panangala,
Christine Scott, and Carol D. Davis
Domestic Social Policy Division

Overview of Filipino Veterans’ Benefits
Summary
The United States has had a continuous relationship with the Philippine Islands
since they were acquired in 1898 by the United States as a result of the
Spanish-American War. Moreover, Filipinos have served in and with the U.S.
Armed Forces since the time of the Spanish-American War, and especially during
World War II. The Islands remained a possession of the United States until 1946.
Since 1946, Congress has passed several laws affecting various categories of
Filipino veterans. Many of these laws have been liberalizing laws that have provided
Filipino World War II veterans with medical and monetary benefits similar to
benefits available to U.S. veterans.
However, not all veterans’ benefits have been available to Filipino
Commonwealth Army veterans, veterans of Recognized Guerrilla forces, and New
Philippine Scouts. In the 110th Congress, two measures, H.R. 760 and S. 57, have
been introduced that would eliminate the distinction between the Regular, or “Old,”
Philippine Scouts and the other three groups of veterans — the Commonwealth Army
of the Philippines, Recognized Guerrilla Forces, and New Philippine Scouts —
making them all fully eligible for veterans’ benefits similar to those received by U.S.
veterans.
This report provides an overview of major Filipino veterans legislation enacted
by Congress from 1946 through 2003. The report begins by defining the specific
groups of Filipino nationals who served under the command of the United States, and
then outlines the Rescission Acts of 1946, benefit expansions from 1948 onward, and
recent legislative proposals. It will be updated as legislative events warrant.

Contents
Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Regular, or “Old,” Philippine Scouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Commonwealth Army of the Philippines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Recognized Guerrilla Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
New Philippine Scouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Rescission Acts of 1946 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Benefit Expansions, 1948-1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Health Care Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Non-Health Care Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Benefit Expansions, 1999 Onward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Recent Legislative Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
List of Tables
Table 1. Status of Benefits for Filipino Veterans and Survivors . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Overview of Filipino Veterans’ Benefits
Background
The Philippine Islands became a U.S. possession in 1898, when they were ceded
from Spain following the Spanish-American War (1898-1902).1 The Islands
remained a possession of the United States until 1946. In 1934, Congress passed the
Philippine Independence Act (Tydings-McDuffie Act; P.L. 73-127), which set a 10-
year timetable for the eventual independence of the Philippines and in the interim
established a Commonwealth of the Philippines vested with certain powers over its
internal affairs. In 1935, the Philippine Constitution was adopted and the first
President of the Philippines was elected. The granting of full independence was
ultimately delayed until 1946 because of the Japanese occupation of the Islands from
1942-1945. Among other things, P.L. 73-127 reserved to the United States the power
to maintain military bases and armed forces in the Philippines and, upon order of the
President of the United States, the right to call into the service of the U.S. Armed
Forces all military forces organized by the Philippine government. On July 26, 1941,
President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued an executive order inducting all military
forces of the Commonwealth of the Philippines under the command of a newly
created command structure called the United States Armed Forces of the Far East
(USAFFE). These units remained under USAFFE command through the duration of
World War II (WWII), until authority over them was returned to the Commonwealth
at the time of independence. From time to time since 1946, Congress has passed
laws providing and in some instances repealing benefits to Filipino veterans. This
report, which will be updated as legislative events warrant, provides an overview of
major Filipino veterans legislation enacted by Congress from 1946 through 2003.
The report begins by defining the specific groups of Filipino nationals who served
under the command of the United States, and then outlines the Rescission Acts of
1946, benefit expansions from 1948 onward, and recent legislative proposals.
Regular, or “Old,” Philippine Scouts. These were soldiers who enlisted
as Philippine Scouts prior to October 6, 1945. They were members of a small,
regular component of the U.S. Army that was considered to be in regular active
service. The Regular Philippine Scouts were part of the U.S. Army throughout their
existence, and are entitled to all VA benefits by the same criteria that apply to any
veteran of U.S. military service.2
Commonwealth Army of the Philippines. These soldiers enlisted in the
organized military forces of the Government of the Philippines under the provisions
of the Philippine Independence Act of 1934. They served before July 1, 1946, while
1 38 U.S.C. §101(6).
2 38 C.F.R. §3.40(a).

CRS-2
such forces were in the service of the U.S. Armed Forces pursuant to the military
order of the President of the United States dated July 26, 1941.
Recognized Guerrilla Forces. These were individuals who served in
resistance units recognized by and cooperating with the U.S. Armed Forces during
the period April 20, 1942, to June 20, 1946.3
New Philippine Scouts. These were Philippine citizens who served with
the U.S. Armed Forces with the consent of the Philippine government between
October 6, 1945, and June 30, 1947, and who were discharged from such service
under conditions other than dishonorable.4 Since these scouts were recruited as a
result of the Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act of 1945 (P.L. 79-190), they
are referred to as “new” Scouts.
Rescission Acts of 1946
In 1946, Congress passed the First Supplemental Surplus Appropriation
Rescission Act (P.L. 79-301) and the Second Supplemental Surplus Appropriation
Rescission Act (P.L. 79-391), which came to be commonly known as the “Rescission
Acts of 1946.” P.L. 79-301, enacted on February 18, 1946, authorized a $200 million
appropriation to the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines with a provision
limiting benefits for these veterans to (1) compensation for service-connected
disabilities or death, and (2) National Service Life Insurance contracts already in
force.5 Furthermore, this provision included bill language stating that:
Service before July 1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the government
of the Commonwealth of the Philippines while such forces were in the service
of the Armed Forces of the United States pursuant to the military order of the
President, dated July 26, 1941 ... shall not be deemed to have been active
military, naval or air service for the purposes of any law of the United States
conferring rights, privileges, or benefits upon any person by reason of the service
of such person or the service of any other person in the Armed Forces.6
Because of differences between economic conditions and living standards in the
United States and the Philippines, P.L.79-301 also provided that any benefits paid to
Commonwealth Army veterans would be paid at the rate of one Philippine peso to
each dollar for a veteran who was a member of the U.S. Armed Forces. Prior to the
enactment of P.L. 79-301, Commonwealth Army veterans were determined by the
then Veterans Administration to be eligible for U.S. veterans’ benefits.7
3 38 C.F.R. §3.40(d).
4 38 C.F.R. §3.40(b).
5 P.L. 79-301; 60 Stat. 14.
6 Ibid; now codified at 38 U.S.C. §107.
7 In 1942, the Solicitor of the VA ruled that members of the Commonwealth Army called
into the service of the United States by the President’s order of July 26, 1941, were eligible
(continued...)

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On May 27, 1946, Congress enacted P.L 79-391, providing that service in the
Philippine Scouts under Section 14 of the Armed Forces Voluntary Recruitment Act
of 1945 (P.L. 79-190) shall not be deemed to have been active military or air service
for the purpose of any laws administered by the Veterans Administration.
The legislative history of these Rescission Acts provides some context behind
the congressional intent in passing these laws. At the end of World War II, when
Congress was considering a $200 million appropriation for the support of the
Philippine Army, in accordance with its practice during the war, the chairman of the
Senate Subcommittee on Appropriations sent a letter to General Omar Bradley, then
Director of the Veterans Administration, requesting information concerning the status
of the Filipino servicemen and the potential cost of their veteran benefits. In his
response to the committee, General Bradley indicated that the total cost of paying
veterans’ benefits to members of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and their
dependents, under then existing veterans’ laws, would amount in the long run to
about $3 billion. Upon receiving this response, the chairman of the Senate
Subcommittee on Appropriations made a statement with regard to the then pending
(First Supplemental Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act) legislation:
Three billion dollars is a substantial sum of money, and if Filipinos were eligible
to receive it, there would be good reason to reduce or eliminate other proposed
expenditures by the United States for their benefit. But no one could be found
who would assert that it was ever the clear intention of Congress that such
benefits as are granted under the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1940, as
amended — the GI Bill of Rights — should be extended to the soldiers of the
Philippine Army. There is nothing in the text of any of the laws enacted by
Congress for the benefit of veterans to indicate such intent. The real question in
the case of the soldiers of the Philippine Army is whether they have served in the
active military or naval service of the United States. There is nothing to indicate
that there was any discussion of the meaning of that term, probably because it is
generally well recognized and has been used in many statutes having to do with
members or former members of the American armed forces. It would normally
be construed to include persons regularly enlisted or inducted in the regular
manner in the military and naval service of the United States. There is no
suggestion that Congress had in mind covering under the GI Bill of Rights any
classes not theretofore understood to be included within the meaning of the
words ‘in the active military or naval service of the United States,’ which is the
primary basis for entitlement to its benefits. It is certainly unthinkable that the
Congress would extend the normal meaning of the term to cover the large
number of Filipinos to whom it has been suggested that the Servicemen’s
Readjustment Act of 1940 applies, at a cost running into billions of dollars, aside
from other consideration, without some reference to it either in the debates in
Congress or in the committee reports. Upon the principle that the Philippine
Army was serving with our Army but was not a part of the armed forces of the
United States, the War Department took prompt action to disapprove the
7 (...continued)
for benefits under the Veterans’ National Life Insurance Act. In 1945, General Omar
Bradley, then Director of the Veterans Administration, expressed an opinion to the Senate
Appropriations Committee that the term “veterans” included these Commonwealth Army
veterans. Filipino American Veterans and Dependents Association v. United States of
America
, 391 F. Supp. 1314 (N.D. Cal. 1974).

CRS-4
proposal to extend the American pay rates to soldiers serving in the Philippine
Army and requested that the proclamation making such a promise be rescinded.
Members of the Philippine Army did not actually receive the pay of an American
soldier, which has a direct bearing upon the question as to whether that army is
a part of the armed forces of the United States.8
It is important to note here that the Rescission Acts of 1946 applied only to
Filipino veterans (i.e., the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines, Recognized
Guerrilla Forces, and New Philippine Scouts). Veterans who served as Regular, or
“Old,” Philippine Scouts were categorized as U.S. veterans, and are generally entitled
to all veterans’ benefits for which any other U.S. veteran is eligible.
Benefit Expansions, 1948-1998
Health Care Benefits
In July 1948, Congress enacted P.L. 80-865 and authorized aid not to exceed
$22.5 million for the construction and equipping of a hospital in the Philippines to
provide care for Commonwealth Army veterans and Recognized Guerrillas. That
same law authorized $3.3 million annually for a five-year grant program to reimburse
the Republic of the Philippines for the care and treatment of service-connected
conditions of those veterans.9 In 1951, plans for a new hospital were completed;
construction of a new hospital began in 1953. Work was completed at a total cost of
$9.4 million, and the hospital was dedicated on November 20, 1955.10 This facility
came to be known as the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC), and the
facility was turned over to the Philippine government. The hospital is now organized
under the Philippine Department of National Defense.11
In April 1952, Congress enacted P.L. 82-311 and authorized the President to
transfer the United States Army Provisional Philippine Scout Hospital at Fort
McKinley, Philippines, to the Republic of the Philippines, including all the
equipment contained in the hospital. This act also authorized a grant program for a
five-year period to reimburse the Republic of the Philippines for the medical care of
Regular Philippine Scouts undergoing treatment at the United States Army
Provisional Philippine Scout Hospital. P.L. 83-421 extended the five-year period of
8 Quoted in the American Veterans and Dependents Association v. United States of America,
391 F. Supp. 1314 (N.D. Cal. 1974).
9 The term “service-connected” means, with respect to disability, that such disability was
incurred or aggravated in the line of duty in the active military, naval, or air service. VA
determines whether veterans have service-connected disabilities, and for those with such
disabilities, assigns ratings from 0 to 100% based on the severity of the disability.
Percentages are assigned in increments of 10%.
10 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Medical Care of Veterans,
Committee print, 90th Congress, 1st session, April 17, 1967. House Committee print no. 4,
p. 384.
11 See [http://server.pvao.mil.ph/vmmc.html]; accessed January 19, 2007.

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reimbursement for an additional five years, through June 30, 1958, and authorized
payments of $3 million for the first year, and then payments decreasing by $500,000
each year. No change was made in the provision stating that funds would be used for
either medical care on a contract basis or for hospital operations.
The VMMC was originally intended to provide care to service-connected
Filipino veterans only. However, in June 1958, Congress enacted P.L. 85-461 and
expanded its use to include veterans of any war for any nonservice-connected
disability if such veterans were unable to defray the expenses of necessary hospital
care. The VA was authorized to pay for such care on a contract basis. Furthermore,
P.L. 85-461 amended P.L. 85-56. Section 532 of P.L. 85-461 authorized the
President, with the concurrence of the Republic of the Philippines, to modify the
agreement between the United States and the Philippines with respect to hospital and
medical care for Commonwealth Army veterans, including Recognized Guerrilla
forces.12 The law stated that in lieu of any grants made after July 1, 1958, the VA
may enter into a contract with the VMMC under which the United States would pay
for hospital care in the Republic of the Philippines of Commonwealth Army veterans,
including Recognized Guerrilla forces determined by the VA to need such hospital
care for service-connected disabilities. The law also required that the contract must
be entered into before July 1, 1958, and would be for a period of not more than five
consecutive fiscal years beginning July 1, 1958, and shall provide for payments for
such hospital care at a per diem rate to be jointly determined for each fiscal year by
the two governments to be fair and reasonable.
P.L. 85-461 also authorized the Republic of the Philippines to use at their
discretion beds, equipment, and other facilities of the VMMC at Manila, not required
for hospital care of Commonwealth Army veterans with service-connected
disabilities, for the care of other persons.13 P.L. 88-40, enacted in June 1963,
extended the grant program for another five years through June 30, 1968. Under
provisions of this law, costs of any one fiscal year were not to exceed $500,000.
P.L. 89-612, enacted in September 1966, among other things, expanded the
program to include hospital care at the VMMC for Commonwealth Army veterans,
determined by the VA to need such care for nonservice-connected disabilities if they
were unable to defray the expenses of such care. It also authorized the provision of
hospital care to New Philippine Scouts for service-connected disabilities, and for
nonservice-connected conditions if they were enlisted before July 4, 1946, the date
of Philippine independence. P.L. 89-612 also authorized $500,000 for replacing and
12 This law defined “Commonwealth Army Veterans” as “persons who served before July
1, 1946, in the organized military forces of the Government of the Philippines, while such
forces were in the service of the Armed Forces pursuant to the military order of the
President dated July 26, 1941, including among such military forces organized guerrilla
forces under commanders appointed, designated, or subsequently recognized by the
Commander in Chief, Southwest Pacific Area, or another competent authority in the Army
of the United States, and who were discharged or released from such service under
conditions other than dishonorable.”
13 This language contained in P.L. 85-461 was restated in P.L. 85-857, which consolidated
the laws of the Veterans Administration.

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upgrading equipment and for restoring the physical plant of the hospital, and
provided a yearly appropriation of $100,000 for six years, beginning in 1967, in
grants to the VMMC for medical research and training of health service personnel.
P.L. 93-82 authorized nursing home care for eligible Commonwealth Army
veterans and New Philippine Scouts. Further, it provided that available beds,
equipment, and other facilities at the VMMC could be made available at the
discretion of the Republic of the Philippines for other persons subject to (1) priority
of admissions and hospitalizations given to Commonwealth Army veterans or New
Philippine scouts needing hospital care for service-connected conditions, and (2) the
use of available facilities on a contract basis for hospital care or medical services for
persons eligible to receive care from the VA. This law also authorized funding of up
to $2 million annually for medical care, and provided for annual grants up to $50,000
for education and training of health service personnel at the VMMC, and up to
$50,000 for replacing and upgrading equipment and maintaining the physical plant.
In 1981, P.L. 97-72 made substantial changes to the existing law. It amended section
632 [now 1732] of Title 38 “to make it explicitly clear that it is the position of the
United States that the primary responsibility for providing medical care and treatment
for Commonwealth Army veterans and New Philippine Scouts rests with the
Republic of the Philippines.”14 The committee report accompanying P.L. 97-72
stated the long-standing position of Congress with regard to health care to Filipino
veterans:
There is little doubt that in 1948 when Congress enacted P.L. 80-865, authorizing
a 5-year grant program to provide medical benefits to Filipino veterans with
service-connected illnesses, including the authorization for constructing and
equipping a hospital in Luzon, it intended that this program be temporary and
that the Philippine government eventually assume responsibility for funding the
program and operations of the hospital.... These grants were renewed for an
additional 5 years in 1954, but on a decreasing annual scale of payments (P.L.
83-421). The Committee report on this bill stated that progressively reducing
these grants over five years was to make clear the intent of Congress that the
Philippine government would be expected to gradually assume full responsibility
for the hospital.... However, because of the moral obligation of the United States
to provide care for Filipino veterans and the concern that the Philippine
government would not be able to maintain a high standard of medical care to
these veterans if assistance by the United States were withheld, this program was
extended in 5-year increments through [FY] 1978. P.L. 89-612, enacted in
September 1966, expanded the program to include medical care for
nonservice-connected disabilities if the veteran were unable to defray the
expense of medical care and included New Philippine Scouts in the coverage.15

Furthermore, P.L. 97-72 gave VA the authority to contract for the care and treatment
of U.S. veterans in the VMMC, and to provide grant authority of $500,000 per year
for a period of five years for making grants to the VMMC to assist in the replacement
14 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Veterans’ Health Care, Training,
and Small Business Loan Act of 1981.
Report to accompany H.R. 3499. 97th Congress, 1st
sess., H.Rept. 97-79.
15 Ibid.

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and upgrading of equipment and the rehabilitation of the physical plant and facilities
of the center. P.L. 100-687, P.L. 102-40, P.L. 102-86, and P.L. 102-585 continued
to authorize this program by making amendments to the grant amount and the time
frame for entering into contracts.
In 1993, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) discontinued referrals of U.S.
veterans to the VMMC, because it was determined that the VMMC was not
providing a reasonable standard of care. Until this time, the VMMC had been the
primary contract hospital for the VA in the Philippines. Because of this change in
the referral process, the grant-in-aid funding for the VMMC was last authorized by
P.L. 102-585 through September 30, 1994, and the program was allowed to expire.
However, Congress continued to appropriate funds for the program through
September 30, 1996.16 During a tour of the VMMC in May 2006, the VA Secretary
announced that “the VMMC will receive a grant of $500,000, or approximately 25.5
million pesos, from the U.S. government to help the institution purchase additional
equipment and materials for the treatment of Filipino veterans.”17
Non-Health Care Benefits
Aside from health care benefits, in 1951, Congress enacted P.L. 82-21
authorizing funeral and burial benefits, including burial flags, for Commonwealth
Army veterans residing in the Philippines (at half the rate of U.S. veterans). These
benefits were not extended to New Philippine Scouts. In 1966, P.L. 89-613 extended
dependents’ and survivors’ education assistance to include children of
Commonwealth Army veterans and New Philippine Scouts. These benefits were
made payable at half the rate of the benefits for children of U.S. veterans.
Furthermore, as a result of a Joint Republic of the Philippines-U.S.
Commission study of Philippine veterans’ problems, Congress in 1966 authorized a
change in how benefits were to be computed. P.L. 89-640 provided for payment of
benefits in pesos equal in value to U.S. 50 cents for each U.S. dollar authorized. In
1978, testifying before the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the General
Accounting Office (now the Government Accountability Office) stated that
the intent of the 1966 law was apparently to restore Philippines beneficiaries to
approximately their situation in 1946, taking into account the changes occurring
in the economies and living standards in the Philippines and the U.S. since 1946.
Since the law was enacted, however, legislative increases and devaluations of the
peso have provided Filipino veterans with undue increases in benefits and has
resulted in Filipino veterans achieving much higher levels of benefits than their
counterparts in the U.S.18
16 Department of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, Independent
Agencies Appropriations Act, 1995 (P.L. 103-327).
17 U.S. Embassy Press Release, “Medical Center to Benefit from 25-Million Peso Grant;
Hosts Visiting U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs,” May 1, 2006.
18 U.S. Congress. Senate Committee on Appropriations, Veterans Administration Benefits
Programs in the Republic of the Philippines
. Hearings, 95th Congress, 1st session, August 31,
1977. Washington: GPO 1978.

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Benefit Expansions, 1999 Onward
The 106th Congress enacted several measures to expand benefits for Filipino
veterans. P.L.106-169 expanded U.S. income-based benefits to certain World War
II veterans. This included Filipino veterans of World War II who served in the
organized military forces of the Philippines while those forces were in the service of
the U.S. Armed Forces. Until the enactment of this act, recipients of Supplemental
Security Income (SSI) were generally required to reside in the United States to
maintain their eligibility. This law enabled eligible Filipino veterans to return to the
Philippines and retain 75% of their SSI benefits.19
The Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (P.L. 106-377), changed the rate of
compensation payments to veterans of the Commonwealth Army of the Philippines
and veterans of Recognized Guerrilla forces who lawfully reside in the United States.
This law also authorized VA to provide hospital care, medical services, and nursing
home care to these two veterans groups, similar to care and services available to U.S
veterans. In order to receive these benefits, they were required to be legal permanent
residents of the United States and be receiving VA disability compensation. P.L.
106-377, among other things, authorized outpatient care at the Manila VA Outpatient
Clinic to service-connected U.S. veterans for their nonservice-connected
disabilities.20 Prior to the enactment of P.L. 106-377, VA was limited to providing
outpatient treatment for U.S. veterans in the Philippines only for their
service-connected conditions.
The Veterans Benefits and Health Care Improvement Act of 2000 (P.L. 106-
419) changed the amount of monetary burial benefits that VA will pay to survivors
of veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Recognized Guerrilla forces
who lawfully reside in the United States at the time of death. Moreover, the Veterans
Health Care, Capital Asset, and Business Improvement Act of 2003 (P.L.108-170)
authorized VA to provide hospital care, nursing home care, and outpatient medical
services to Filipino Commonwealth Army veterans, veterans of Recognized Guerrilla
forces, and New Philippine Scouts. Currently, these groups of veterans are eligible
for hospital care, nursing home care, and outpatient medical services within the
United States. Lastly, the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-183) added
service in the New Philippine Scouts as qualifying service for payment of
compensation, dependency, and indemnity compensation (DIC) and monetary burial
benefits at the full-dollar rate, and provided for payment of DIC at the full-dollar rate
to survivors of veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Recognized
Guerrilla forces who lawfully reside in the U.S.
It should be noted that veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces have the same
entitlement to monetary benefits in the Philippines that they would have in the United
States, with the exception of home loans and related programs, which are not
19 This program is administered by the Social Security Administration.
20 38 U.S.C. Section 1724(e). This clinic refers to the Manila VA Clinic, which is located
at 2201 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City, Metro Manila, and not to the VMMC.

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available in the Philippines. Table 1 provides a summary of benefits currently
available to certain categories of Filipino veterans.
Recent Legislative Proposals
H.R. 760/S. 57, recently introduced in the 110th Congress, would eliminate the
distinction between the Regular or “Old” Philippine Scouts and the other three
groups of veterans — Commonwealth Army of the Philippines, Recognized Guerrilla
Forces, and New Philippine Scouts — making them all fully eligible for VA benefits
similar to those received by U.S. veterans. Similar legislation, H.R. 302, H.R. 4574,
and S. 146, was introduced in the 109th Congress. In addition, H.R. 170 was
introduced in the last Congress that would have, among other things, provided
veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army and New Philippine Scouts who
served with U.S. Armed Forces during World War II a payment of $100 a month in
compensation for service-connected disabilities. It would have also provided these
veterans vocational rehabilitation services, job counseling, training, and placement
services, and VA-guaranteed housing loans. H.R. 170 would have also authorized
VA to provide outpatient care to veterans of the Philippine Commonwealth Army
and New Philippine Scouts, currently residing in the Philippines.

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Table 1. Status of Benefits for Filipino Veterans and Survivors
Selected
Regular, or “Old,”
Commonwealth Army of
Recognized Guerrilla
New Philippine Scouts
veterans’
Philippine Scouts
the Philippines
Forces
benefits
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S.
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S.
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S.
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S.
or legal
citizen
or legal
citizen
or legal
citizen
or legal
citizen
resident
resident
resident
resident
Compensation for
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (50
Yes
Yes (50
Yes
Yes (50
service-connected
cents per
cents per
cents per
disability
$1)
$1)
$1)
Dependency and
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (50
Yes
Yes (50
Yes
Yes (50
Indemnity
cents per
cents per
cents per
Compensation/DIC
$1)
$1)
$1)
(survivors)
Medical
In U.S.
Yes
Yes
Yes; must
No
Yes; must
No
Yes; must
No
care
be service-
be service-
be service-
connected.a
connected.a
connected.a
In
Yesb
Yesb
No
No
No
No
No
No
Philippines
GI Bill education benefits
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
for veterans
Education benefits for
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
spouses
Education benefits for
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
children
Pension for nonservice-
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
connected disability
Death pension (survivors)
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Burial allowance
Yes
Yes
Yes (deaths
Yes (50
Yes (deaths
Yes (50
Yes (deaths
Yes (50
on or after
cents per
on or after
cents per
on or after
cents per
11/1/2000)
$1for
11/1/2000)
$1for
12/16/2003)
$1for
deaths on or
deaths on or
deaths on or
after
after
after
11/1/2000)
11/1/2000)
12/16/2003)

CRS-11
Selected
Regular, or “Old,”
Commonwealth Army of
Recognized Guerrilla
New Philippine Scouts
veterans’
Philippine Scouts
the Philippines
Forces
benefits
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S.
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S.
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S.
U.S. citizen
Non-U.S.
or legal
citizen
or legal
citizen
or legal
citizen
or legal
citizen
resident
resident
resident
resident
Burial flag
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes No
Clothing allowance
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (50
Yes
Yes (50
Yes
Yes (50
cents per
cents per
cents per
$1)
$1)
$1)
Guaranteed housing
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
loans
Small business loans
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Veterans Employment
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Training Service (VETS)
Transition Assistance
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
Program (TAP)
Adaptive housing
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
adjustments
Adaptive vehicle
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
No
adjustments
Source: Table prepared by CRS based on information provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
a. To be eligible for enrollment, the veteran must be service-connected, but could receive treatment for service-connected or nonservice-connected
conditions.
b. U.S. veterans or Filipino veterans residing in the Philippines are only eligible for hospital care for treatment of service-connected conditions.
Filipino veterans are authorized to receive outpatient care in facilities other than the Manila VA Outpatient Clinic for service-connected conditions
only. U.S. veterans with service-connected conditions residing or sojourning in the Philippines are eligible to receive care for service-connected
and nonservice-connected conditions at the Manila VA Outpatient Clinic based on resources available at the clinic.