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For the past 21 years, The Filipino Express has provided the Filipino American community the best news, arts and entertainment coverage from around the United States and the Philippines.
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CHICAGO – Sen. Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) led the charge Wednesday (Sept. 24) in seeking a conference between representatives from the two chambers to negotiate the final version of S. 1315, the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007.
According to Jesse Broder Van Dyke, Senator Akaka’s spokesman, Senator Akaka, the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs chair, rose to start the negotiations on the bill on the Senate floor in the Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. But he ran into an opposition from his Republican colleague in his committee who objected to his motion to go to the conference.
Mr. Akaka, sponsor of the veterans’ legislation that provides benefits to surviving World War II Filipino veterans, said: “I was disappointed but not surprised by the latest effort to obstruct progress on the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007. Both the House and Senate have passed separate versions of this comprehensive veterans’ benefits bill, and my motion today would have allowed members of the House and Senate to meet and come to an agreement. Unfortunately, at least one of my colleagues objected to even negotiating this important bill.”
Citing the present economic crisis, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, said “the dollars that will go to the Filipino veterans will be pulled from somewhere yet unknown so with all due respect that I have for the Chairman, the mechanism is already in place that takes away the funds that will be used to fund the expansion of 1315.”
Although Mr. Burr is opposing the bill now, he was one of those who voted for S. 1315 last April when it was passed by a 96-1 vote. As passed by the Senate, S. 1315 was a comprehensive, budget-neutral veterans’ benefits bill, which has no cost implications relative to the federal budget.
Among other provisions of the bill is the veterans’ pension to Filipino veterans of World War II who served under U.S. military command. Some Filipino veterans who served under U.S. military command have been denied veterans’ benefits for over 60-years. These benefits include $ 3,600 annual non service disability pension for a single Filipino veteran living in the Philippines, $ 4,500 annually for a married veteran, and $2,400 annually for a surviving spouse.
Aside from the benefits that the Filipino veterans will get, the Senate-passed version of the legislation also includes other improvements to veterans’ benefits such as:
• Establish a new program of insurance for service connected disabled veterans;
• Expand eligibility for retroactive benefits from traumatic injury protection coverage under Service members’ Group Life Insurance;
• Increase the maximum amount of Veterans’ Mortgage Life Insurance that a service-connected disabled veteran may purchase; and
• Provide individuals with severe burn injuries automobiles and adaptive equipment.
After passing the Senate, S. 1315 that was amended in the House by removing many of these provisions from the bill, including the benefits for Filipino veterans who served under U.S. military command in World War II. The provisions of the benefits for Filipino veterans taken away from S. 1315 was reduced into token amounts of $9,000 for non-US citizens and $15,000 for US citizens and provided in what became known as H.R. 6897 that was passed last Monday (Sept. 22).
S. 1315 was originally introduced on May 7, 2007, and passed the Senate by a vote of 96-1 on April 24, 2008. Because the two chambers passed different versions of the bill, Akaka sought a conference between representatives from the House and Senate to negotiate a final version of the bill.
Jerry Clarito, a son of a Filipino veteran and an officer of National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), said the “fight is not yet over. Everybody should contact members of Congress and the Senate” to urge them to come into the negotiation in a conference committee for inclusion of the Filipino benefits in the S. 1315.
The House-passed version of S. 1315 remains pending before the Senate. If the bill will not pass before session adjourns on Friday, Sept. 26, the bill will likely die this year. (lariosa_jos@sbcglobal. net)
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MANILA – President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo stressed the need for a "strong" United Nations and "rigorous international cooperation" in the face of hard economic times.
Speaking before the 63rd United Nations General Assembly in New York Tuesday morning (late Tuesday evening in Manila), Arroyo said that while her administration has instituted tough economic reforms, the Philippines "cannot do it alone."
The session opened amid intensive efforts in Washington between the Bush administration and US lawmakers to craft an unprecedented $700 billion bailout spurred by the worst upheaval in the US financial system since the Great Depression.
"We need a strong UN as never before. We need rigorous international cooperation as never before," Arroyo told more than 120 heads of state, including Presidents George W. Bush of the United States and Nicolas Sarkozy of France.
"Economic uncertainty has moved like a tsunami around the globe, wiping away gains, erasing progress, not just here in Manhattan, but also in the many islands of the Philippines," she said in a speech broadcast live on state-run television in the Philippines.
Arroyo likened the global crisis to the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, which she said, turned out to be an "oncoming train." The crisis was "real and profound," she said, and it would take "time to and perseverance" to recover from.
"We must go on building bridges among allies around the globe," she said, citing the example of the Philippines reaching out to Vietnam to ensure the security of rice supply amid a shortage earlier this year.
She said her administration was also working to achieve food self-sufficiency and energy independence. The Philippines relies heavily on imported oil and is one of the world's major importers of rice.
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LOS ANGELES – Multi awarded animator Jess Espanola put the Philippines in view during the 60th annual Creative Arts Emmy Awards last week, bagging one Emmy trophy for his work as Assistant Director for the The Simpsons' "Eternal Moonshine of the Simpson Mind," which was named "Outstanding Animated Program (for programming less than one hour)."
Also given recognitions, along with Jess, are the top executives of Fox Gracie Films and Starz Film Roman, namely: James L. Brooks, Matt Groening (the creator of "The Simpsons"), Al Jean, Ian Maxton-Graham, Matt Selman, and Tim Long, executive producers; John Frink, Kevin Curran, Michael Price, Bill Odenkirk, Marc Wilmore, Joel H. Cohen, Ron Hauge, and Rob Lazebnik, co-executive producers; Lurie Biermacki, and Rick Polizzi, animation producers; J. Steward Burns, writer; Chuck Sheetz, director; Mark Kirkland, supervising director; Patricia Shinagawa, animation timer.
"The Simpsons" (FOX, Gracie Films in association with 20th Century Fox), bested four top nominees, namely: Creature Comforts America "Don’t Choke To Death, Please" CBS, Aardman Animations production in association with The Gotham Group; King Of The Hill "Death Picks Cotton " FOX, 20th Century Fox Television in association with 3 Arts Entertainment, Deedle-Dee Productions & Judgemental Films; Robot Chicken "Robot Chicken: Star Wars" Cartoon Network, ShadowMachine Films, and SpongeBob SquarePants "Inmates of Summer / Two Faces of Squidward" Nickelodeon, Nickelodeon with United Plankton Pictures, Inc.
Meanwhile, Jess is riding on a crest of mainstream accolade, a feat that validates the common knowledge that Filipino animators are among the best in Hollywood.
"That's correct, a lot of Filipino artists are in the cutting edge of the animation industry. I guess I am lucky that I worked with "The Simpsons," said Jess.
Actually, this is the second time that Jess got involved in an animation project that won an Emmy. He was also an assistant director for "Futurama," an animated show that won the Emmy in 2002. Unfortunately, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences did not include the assistant director in the nomination process then.
How does he feel rubbing elbows with the prime movers of the American entertainment industry?
"It was cool. All of us nominees had a party on August 26 at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences where everybody was given the certificate of honor, but the announcement of winners were set a couple of weeks later on Sept. 13 at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles where the formal announcement was done. During that day, all of us from the studio anxiously waited. And when the final reckoning came, the master of ceremonies called out, 'and the Emmy goes to... The Simpsons!' I thought I punched the air and hollered yeah! It was a surreal experience for me. The excitement was just so overwhelming at that moment," Jess told this writer in an exclusive interview.
Jess, who was given permanent U.S. residency status as a "person with exceptional ability," has an equally compelling life story. Raised by a single mother in a depressed area in Central Luzon, Jess used his artistic talent to survive when he came face to face with hunger.
"I experienced real hunger while I was a boy. There was no food on the table most of the time. Sometimes I just imagine I already ate. It was a hard life," said Jess.
Amazingly, despite the great odds, Jess still remained on top of his class, and people started helping him out when they noticed that he was an exceptionally talented kid. He was among the high achieving students in high school that gained scholarships at the University of the Philippines.
When Hanna Barbera put up Fil-Cartoon Inc., a subsidiary outfit in Pasig, Metro Manila, Jess was hired as a team supervisor and lead animator. Jess's works were, and still are, considered standards of excellence in Philippine animation. Jess and his family moved to Los Angeles in 1994.(MNS)
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