US Senate bill recognizes Filipino World War II veterans

World War II Filipino veterans may soon be officially recognized in California history textbooks for their contributions in the war after the United States Senate passed a bill to recognized Pinoy WWII veterans.

The US Senate passed the California bill AB 199, "Filipinos in WWII Social Studies Curriculum Act," with a 37-2 vote last Thursday (Friday in Manila).

“[This bill] encourages social science instruction for Grades 7-12 to include instruction on World War II and the role of Filipinos in that war, consisting of an accurate history of the contributions of the Filipino American veterans who fought courageously in the United States Army," said Assembly member Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco), the bill’s author.

The California bill AB 199, which will head to Governor Jerry Brown's desk next week, is also a long-awaited recognition for some 15,000 World War II Filipino veterans who are still living today.


Fiona Ma reintroduced the bill earlier this year. The bill had passed the Assembly in March with an overwhelming 72-0 vote. Should it be passed into law, the measure would recognize the contributions of Filipino soldiers and civilians in World War II.