Speech #740181600

This Filipino Repatriation Act is a big brotherly gesture of help and assistance to the Filipinos who have come to the United States and now find themselves In difficulties. whose friendship we have cherished and hope to maintain in the future. whether they decide to return to their homeland or to remain In the United States. The provisions of the act are very simple. It provides that "Any native Filipino residing in any State or the District of Columbia on the effective date of this act (July 10. 1935) who desires to return to the Philippine Islands may apply to the Secretary of Labor * * 0 through any officer of the Immigration Service for the benefits of this act. Upon approval of such application the Secretary of Labor 0 0 * shall certify * * * that such Filipino is eligible to be returned to the Philippine Islands under the terms of this act. Every Filipino who is so certified shall be entitled. at the expense of the United States. to transportation and maintenance from his prtsent residence to a port on the west coast of the United States. and from such jort to passage and maintenance to the port of Manila. Philippine Islands." The act further provides that "no application for the benefits of this act shall be accepted by any officer of the Immigration Service after December 1. 1936". and also that "nothing in this act shall be construed as authority to deport any native of the Philippine Islands. and no Filipino removed from continental United States under the provisions of this act shall hereafter be held to have been deported from the United States." Therefore We see that the only qualifications necessary are that the Filipino who wishes to return to his homeland shall have been born in the Philippine Islands and that he was a resident of continental United States on July 10. 1935. The application form is very simple and easy to fill out. There is no charge for it. and the Filipino does not need to pay anyone to help him fill It out. as this service will be given free in any Immigration office. The only requirement which will cost the applicant any money Is for four small pictures to identify him. which should cost very little. The act sets a time limit on the repatriation program. The invitation for the free return is not Indefinite. All applications must be received by the Immigration Service by December 1. 1936. and December 31. 1936. is the final date for departure from the United States under this plan. When the application has been accepted by the Secretary of Labor arrangements will be made to send the applicant back to Manila from his present residence in continental United States. wherever that may be. The United States will pay his way from any point in the United States to a port on the Pacific coast and from there to Manila. This includes both transportation and maintenance for the journey. The act specifically states that this is not deportation. It is purely a voluntary act on the part of any Filipino who wishes to take advantage of the generous offer of the United States Government. There are no strings attached to his acceptance of this offer.