Under a special title of this omnibus bill, surviving Filipino veterans living in the Philippines would be receiving monthly pensions of US$375 for married veterans and US$300 for single veterans, with US$200 monthly pensions for widows of veterans who die after the bill finally becomes law.

It is particularly significant that the version which passed the Senate is the original version presented by Senator Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), which was passed out of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee (headed by Sen. Akaka) last 27 June 2007.

Prior to the Senate vote on the bill, the Senate had struck down a proposed amendment proposed by Senator Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Ranking minority Member of the Committee, which would have eliminated benefits for Philippine-based Filipino veterans, and limited benefits only to those living in the United States. This amendment was voted down by a vote of 56-41, with seven (7) Republican Senators crossing party lines and supporting Senator Akaka's original version of the bill.

During the past few days, a number of Senators had joined Senator Akaka in presenting impassioned speeches calling on the United States to fulfill its promise to the Filipino veterans, and calling the issue a "matter of honor for the US. These included Senators Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), and Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey)". Senator Menendez pointed out that the US$221 to be sent to Philippine-based Filipino veterans over a 10-year period would be the same amount being spent in Iraqi operations for a period of 18 hours.

Present at the Senate galley to witness the final debates and Senate votes were a number of Filipino veterans, Filipino veteran' organizations leaders, and the Philippine Ambassador, accompanied by  General  Delfin Lorenzana (Veterans' Attache at Post) and Eduardo De Vega, Post's Minister for Legislative Affairs. Immediately after the Senate vote, the entire group called on a number of Senators to thank them for their support.

The Philippine Government will work on this landmark vote to build momentum for the passage in the House of Representative of their own version of the veterans' bill.