LINGAYEN—Former President Fidel V. Ramos said time is now running out fast for Filipino war veterans of World War II who fought side by side with the Americans from 1941 to 1945 because of the long delayed passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill in the United States Congress.

Ramos was the keynote speaker during a commemorative program for the 63rd Anniversary of the Lingayen Gulf Landing of the Liberation Forces under General Douglas Mac Arthur on January 9, 1945 in all the beaches of Pangasinan.

Some 200 war veterans of World War II, many of them witnessed the landing, assembled at the War Memorial Park at the back of the provincial capitol early Wednesday to recall once again that fateful landing that started the liberation of Luzon from the Japanese invaders.

The Americans were represented on the occasion by Major Brent Hepner of the Joint United States Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG) and Alma Quintans Kern, national chairman of the Federation of Filipino-American Associations.

Ramos joined Gov. Amado Espino Jr. in unveiling a World War II Memorial Marker and in the laying of wreath as the taps was played in honor of courageous Filipino and Ame4rican soldiers who died in the epic battles that occurred during and after the landing.

Ramos revealed that for the last 10 years, he has been seeking the help of the U.S. government to adopt measures that can further benefit the few remaining World War II veterans.

Ramos personally sent a letter to President George W. Bush recently urging him to work out the passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Bill pending for already six decades in the U.S.Congress, pointing out to him that time is now running out for the aging and sickly veterans who took up arms in the service of the US Armed Forces when they were called to duty by then President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in August 1941.

The former president revealed the continuing hardships and struggles of the Filipino veterans of World War II to overcome the injustice and inequity suffered by them and their families because of the onerous U.S. Recession Act of 1946 that denied them benefits and recognition.

After the lapse of more than 50 years, no Filipino Veterans Equity Bill has yet been passed in the U.S. Congress despite the brilliant efforts of Philippine officials, the Filipino-American community leaders as well as veteran groups and influential U.S. legislators in the like of Senators Daniel Akaba and very soon Daniel Inouie of Hawaii, Congressman Bob Fedler and other U.S. Congressmen.

The efforts of these legislators, said Ramos, sought to revive remedial legislation to correct the inequitable U.S. Recession Act of 1946.