The Filipino Veterans of World War II National Veterans Registry (the “Veterans Registry”) is a database of Filipino and American veterans of World War II (the “Filipino Veterans of World War II) who qualify collectively as awardees of the United States Congressional Gold Medal (“CGM Awardees”) under the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015, Public Law 114-265, 130 Stat. 1376 (114th Cong.) (the “CGM Act”).

Purpose: To define specific criteria required to account for the number of living veterans, and surviving family member, i.e., spouses, child/children, or closest relative. This will assist the FILVETREP Board of Directors determine the number of Congressional Gold Medal replicas to be purchased from the US Mint, for rostering purposes, for invitations to scheduled events, at the Soldier Stories series, and budget programming to determine operating expenses for the entirety of the FILVETREP project.

All applicants – living veterans and Next of Kin must completely fill out the CGM application form and provide supporting documents to provide proof of wartime service from July 26, 1941 to Dec 31, 1946. The surviving relative(s) of deceased Veterans – spouse, or surviving child, or closest relative, must also provide proof of relations to the deceased Veteran.

• Living Veterans and Next of Kin residing in the 50 states can submit completed applications with supporting documents thru their respective regions for staffing approval at any time.
• Living Veterans and Next of Kin residing in the 4 territories – Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands, and from international countries can submit their applications and supporting documents directly to Region 2

If Region Directors cannot make a decision at their level, they will forward the applications for further review and approval at the FILVETREP National Office.

Note:
Regarding Submissions and Approval of Applications for Scheduled CGM Award Events

• New applications with supporting documents must be completed and submitted to the respective Region conducting a scheduled CGM Award Event not later that 45 days prior to the CGM Award event. Extension can be provided at the Region Director’s purview.
• All applications must be completed and approved not later than 15 days prior to the scheduled event or risk having a Living Veteran or Next of Kin not included in the ceremony.

Acceptable documents

• DD 214
• enlistment records
• award certificates
• affidavits of service from National Personnel Records Center or Philippine Veterans Affairs of Office
• authenticated documents reflecting service in the Philippines with the U.S. Army Force in the Far East (USAFFE), or a member of the US Marine Corps, US Navy, US Coast Guard, Recognized Guerrillas Forces during the period of July 26, 1941 to Dec 31, 1946, or from July 26, 1941 and beyond Dec 31, 1946 showing extended service and up to retirement from US military service, or at any time before July 1941 and up to Dec 1946.

Unacceptable documents

• photographs
• photo burial headstone
• newspaper articles
• forged documents
• unreadable service records and documents
• service records not reflecting wartime service of July 26, 1941 to Dec 31, 1946

As both the proponent of the CGM legislation and the CGM POC, FilVetREP has created an eligibility committee (the “Eligibility Committee”) which is tasked with the responsibility of reviewing and vetting potential CGM Awardees under the CGM Act (the “Eligibility Process”). The Eligibility Process requires the potential CGM Awardee (if the potential CGM Awardee is living) or the potential CGM Awardee’s next-of-kin (if the potential CGM Awardee is deceased) to fill out and submit to the Eligibility Committee a Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Application (the “CGM Application”). For a copy of the CGM Application and specific instructions on how to fill out the CGM Application, please refer to “Instructions for the Application” available on the FilVetREP website under the “Application” tab (www.filvetrep.org/congressional-gold-medal/application). You will need to download and print the CGM Application and submit it to the appropriate regional director.

​The Eligibility Committee is composed of regional directors, each of whom is responsible for determining CGM eligibility for Filipino Veterans of World War II (or their next-of-kin) residing within their assigned regions. Currently, there are twelve (12) such regions. The regional director assigned to the region in which the CGM applicant resides examines the CGM Application and determines whether the CGM applicant is eligible as a “Filipino Veteran of World War II” under the CGM Act. Once CGM eligibility is confirmed, the name of the Filipino Veteran of World War II or his/her next-of-kin and all related information are entered into, and become part of, the National Veterans Registry. The National Veterans Registry is owned and managed by FilVetREP. FilVetREP considers the National Veterans Registry to be confidential and proprietary, only to be used in connection with the CGM and CGM-related activities.

​Veterans and Next-of-Kin residing in the Philippines will register through the Philippine Veterans point of contact (POC). The POC will coordinate submission of verified applications with the FilVetREP Registry POC headquartered in the United States.

Note: The Filipino veteran of World War II or his/her next-of-kin (if deceased) must submit a CGM application to his/her assigned region in order to obtain a determination or confirmation of his/her eligibility under the CGM act, and to receive a framed copy of the CGM act and a bronze replica of the CGM, where possible. The National Veterans Registry will serve as the official record of confirmed CGM awardees, and will be kept and maintained by FilVetREP for historical and other CGM-related purposes.

Region 1:

• Regional Coverage: Connecticut (CT), Maine (ME), Massachusetts (MA), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New York (NY), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), Vermont (VT)
• Regional Director: Sonny Busa
• Email Address: sonnybusa@yahoo.com

Region 2:

• Regional Coverage: Delaware (DE), District of Columbia (DC), Maryland (MD), Virginia (VA), West Virginia (WV)
• Regional Director: Jay Cabacar
• Email Address: jaycabacar@gmail.com

Region 3:

• Regional Coverage: Illinois (IL), Minnesota (MN), Missouri (MO), Nebraska (NE), Wisconsin (WI)
• Regional Director: Edward Brotonel
• Email Address: ebrotonel@aol.com

Region 4:

• Regional Coverage: Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kentucky (KY), Michigan (MI), Ohio (OH)
• Regional Director: Jon Melegrito
• Email Address: jdmelegrito@gmail.com

Region 5:

• Regional Coverage: Alabama (AL), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Mississippi (MS), North Carolina (NC), South Carolina (SC), Tennessee (TN), Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Regional Director: Bryan Ramos
• Email Address: bryan@ramoslawfirm.com

Region 6:

• Regional Coverage: Colorado (CO), Kansas (KS), Montana (MT), North Dakota (ND), South Dakota (SD), Wyoming (WY)
• Regional Director: Michael Simbre
• Email Address: mdsimbre@msn.com

Region 7:

• Regional Coverage: Arkansas (AR), Louisiana (LA), New Mexico (NM), Oklahoma (OK), Texas (TX)
• Regional Directors: Christy Panis Poisot; Nonie Cabana
• Email Address: christypoisot@gmail.com; nonie.cabana@gmail.com

Region 8:

• Regional Coverage: Alaska (AK), Idaho (ID), Oregon (OR), Washington (WA)
• Regional Director: Oscar Hilman; Thelma Sevilla; Zenaida Crisostomo Slemp
• Email Address: oscarhilman1@gmail.com; tsevilla46@msn.com; zenaida2u@gmail.com

Region 9:

• Regional Coverage: Northern / Southern California (CA)
• Regional Director: Luisa Antonio; Joe Garbanzos
• Email Address: cgm@sfbec.org; j3garb@gmail.com

Region 10:

• Regional Coverage: Arizona (AZ), Nevada (NV), Utah (UT)
• Regional Director: Leo Belmonte; Leo Fortuno
• Email Address: leobelmonte08@yahoo.com; fortunoleonard32@gmai.com

Region 11:

• Regional Coverage: Hawaii (HI), Guam (GU), American Samoa, Marianas Islands
• Regional Director: Wilfredo Tungol
• Email Address: tungolw@gmail.com

Philippines and Overseas Embassies :

• Regional Director: Gian Mayo
• Email Address: pvaoresearch@gmail.com

How would I know if my eligibility as a CGM awardee has been determined and confirmed by FilVetREP?
Once you submit your CGM Application, the director assigned to your region will review the information that you submitted and will determine your eligibility under the CGM Act. In the event the regional director needs more information or documentation to support your claim for eligibility, he/she will contact you and work with you to address any deficiencies in the CGM Application. Once the regional director completes his/her review, he/she will inform you orally or in writing whether your eligibility under the CGM Act has been confirmed.

How would I know if my eligibility as a CGM awardee has been determined and confirmed by FilVetREP?
As explained elsewhere on this website, FilVetREP plans to purchase bronze replicas of the CGM for distribution to as many eligible CGM Awardees as possible. Because bronze replicas of the CGM are costly and are funded by donations from the public, FilVetREP is presently unable to determine with specificity the total number of bronze replicas that it will be in a position to purchase and present to eligible CGM Awardees at the National Celebration. However, FilVetREP has determined the following order of priority for bronze replicas:

• First Priority – Living Filipino Veterans of World War II who are residing in the United States.
• Second Priority – Closest survivors (next-of-kin) of deceased Filipino Veterans of World War who are residing in the United States.
• Third Priority – Living Filipino Veterans of World War II and next-of-kin of deceased Filipino Veterans of World War II who are residing outside the United States (e.g., the Philippines).