CLARK FREERPORT – The US media and other US-based supporters have taken the cudgels for American and Filipino war veterans in their campaign for the US federal government to take responsibility for the rehabilitation and upkeep of a historic cemetery in this former US air force base.
Lt. Guy Hilbero, executive officer of the newly revived ceremonial 26th US cavalry of the Philippine Scouts Memorial Regiment here, said members of the US Veterans of Foreign Wars (VWF) have deplored the “neglect” of the US government in preserving the cemetery, the only place in this former base where the American flag still flutters alongside the Philippine flag.
The VWF wants the US to negotiate with the Philippine government so that the cemetery could be administered by either the American Battle Monuments Commission, a federal agency, or the National Cemetery Administration, a branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Hilbero said the veterans have already gained the support of the US media in their call, as he cited an article that came out in the Washington Post last May 31. The article, written by staff writer William Branigin, was titled “Veterans group seeks federal upkeep of forgotten US cemetery in the Philippines.”
The Washington Post quoted Filipino-American Ike Puzon, a former US Navy officer who is helping to raise awareness of the issue in Washington, as citing “oversight” on the failure of US negotiators to provide for the Clark cemetery during the US-RP base talks two decades ago.
“Now, the solution may require an agreement between the US and Philippine governments, such as a long-term US lease of the cemetery, and congressional action directing the monuments commission to make an exception and administer it,” Puzon said.
The cemetery contains remains dating back to the 18th century. It is the burial site for at least 2,250 members of the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Philippine Scouts, a branch of the Army during American occupation of the Philippines. Some of the remains also belonged to veterans of the Spanish-American war at the turn of the 20th century, as well as veterans of the wars in Korean, Vietnam and Iraq.
Hilbero said copies of the Washington Post article have already been forwarded to US Sen. John Patterson, president of the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society and retired US Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, a Filipino-American.
“They can give us some support in lobbying for US government support,” Hilbero added.
The cemetery was abandoned when the Americans permanently left Clark in 1991. Thick volcanic debris buried it when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the same year.
In 1994, Americans belonging to the local VFW negotiated with the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) which now runs this freeport, for it to rehabilitate and manage the cemetery from donations.
US Navy veteran Dennis Wright, now president of Peregrine Development International based in Kuwait but also operating here, helped build a fence around the 20-acre cemetery and pays for its full-time security men.
The Washington Post noted that the Clark cemetery continues to be active, as US veterans, mostly those who retired in the Philippines, continue to be buried there at the rate of two or three a month, two of those recently buried included a Filipino-American soldier and a civilian US defense department employee who both died in Iraq.
It quoted Larry Heilhecker, commander of VFW Post 2485 and chairman of the group managing the cemetery as saying: “It’s a shame that this cemetery has been long neglected by our (US) government.”
Heilhecker estimated it would cost about $500,000 to upgrade the Clark cemetery up to US standards and at least $3,000 monthly for maintenance.
The Washington Post also quoted Matthew Daley, a former US diplomat who as taken interest in the Clark cemetery as saying: “A first class job could be done for $100,000 a year which is not even spare change as our budgets go.”
The VWF reportedly wants the cemetery to be administered by either the American Battle Monuments Commission, a federal agency, or the National Cemetery Administration, a branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Washington Post noted that the American Battle Monuments Commission maintains US military cemeteries overseas, including the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. This cemetery, however, is already closed to burials.
On the other hand, the National Cemetery Administration maintains 131 national cemeteries in 39 states in the US, but none in foreign countries.
Lt. Guy Hilbero, executive officer of the newly revived ceremonial 26th US cavalry of the Philippine Scouts Memorial Regiment here, said members of the US Veterans of Foreign Wars (VWF) have deplored the “neglect” of the US government in preserving the cemetery, the only place in this former base where the American flag still flutters alongside the Philippine flag.
The VWF wants the US to negotiate with the Philippine government so that the cemetery could be administered by either the American Battle Monuments Commission, a federal agency, or the National Cemetery Administration, a branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Hilbero said the veterans have already gained the support of the US media in their call, as he cited an article that came out in the Washington Post last May 31. The article, written by staff writer William Branigin, was titled “Veterans group seeks federal upkeep of forgotten US cemetery in the Philippines.”
The Washington Post quoted Filipino-American Ike Puzon, a former US Navy officer who is helping to raise awareness of the issue in Washington, as citing “oversight” on the failure of US negotiators to provide for the Clark cemetery during the US-RP base talks two decades ago.
“Now, the solution may require an agreement between the US and Philippine governments, such as a long-term US lease of the cemetery, and congressional action directing the monuments commission to make an exception and administer it,” Puzon said.
The cemetery contains remains dating back to the 18th century. It is the burial site for at least 2,250 members of the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard and Philippine Scouts, a branch of the Army during American occupation of the Philippines. Some of the remains also belonged to veterans of the Spanish-American war at the turn of the 20th century, as well as veterans of the wars in Korean, Vietnam and Iraq.
Hilbero said copies of the Washington Post article have already been forwarded to US Sen. John Patterson, president of the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society and retired US Army Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba, a Filipino-American.
“They can give us some support in lobbying for US government support,” Hilbero added.
The cemetery was abandoned when the Americans permanently left Clark in 1991. Thick volcanic debris buried it when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in the same year.
In 1994, Americans belonging to the local VFW negotiated with the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) which now runs this freeport, for it to rehabilitate and manage the cemetery from donations.
US Navy veteran Dennis Wright, now president of Peregrine Development International based in Kuwait but also operating here, helped build a fence around the 20-acre cemetery and pays for its full-time security men.
The Washington Post noted that the Clark cemetery continues to be active, as US veterans, mostly those who retired in the Philippines, continue to be buried there at the rate of two or three a month, two of those recently buried included a Filipino-American soldier and a civilian US defense department employee who both died in Iraq.
It quoted Larry Heilhecker, commander of VFW Post 2485 and chairman of the group managing the cemetery as saying: “It’s a shame that this cemetery has been long neglected by our (US) government.”
Heilhecker estimated it would cost about $500,000 to upgrade the Clark cemetery up to US standards and at least $3,000 monthly for maintenance.
The Washington Post also quoted Matthew Daley, a former US diplomat who as taken interest in the Clark cemetery as saying: “A first class job could be done for $100,000 a year which is not even spare change as our budgets go.”
The VWF reportedly wants the cemetery to be administered by either the American Battle Monuments Commission, a federal agency, or the National Cemetery Administration, a branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Washington Post noted that the American Battle Monuments Commission maintains US military cemeteries overseas, including the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. This cemetery, however, is already closed to burials.
On the other hand, the National Cemetery Administration maintains 131 national cemeteries in 39 states in the US, but none in foreign countries.
