Carmela R.

Farro
BSHRM504
Ms. Lalaine F. Luza

JAPANESE OCCUPATION
The Japanese occupation of the Philippines occurred between 1942 and 1945, when
the Empire of Japan occupied the Commonwealth of the Philippines during World War
II.
The invasion of the Philippines started on 8 December 1941, ten hours after the attack
on Pearl Harbor. As at Pearl Harbor, American aircraft were severely damaged in the
initial Japanese attack. Lacking air cover, the American Asiatic Fleet in the Philippines
withdrew to Java on 12 December 1941. General Douglas MacArthur was ordered out,
leaving his men at Corregidor on the night of 11 March 1942 for Australia, 4,000 km
away.

The

76,000

starving

and

sick

American

and

Filipino

defenders

on Bataan surrendered on 9 April 1942, and were forced to endure the infamous Bataan
Death March on which 7,00010,000 died or were murdered. The 13,000 survivors on
Corregidor surrendered on 6 May.
Japan occupied the Philippines for over three years, until the surrender of Japan. A
highly effective guerilla campaign by Philippine resistance forces controlled sixty
percent of the islands, mostly jungle and mountain areas. MacArthur supplied them by
submarine, and sent reinforcements and officers. Filipinos remained loyal to the United
States, partly because of the American guarantee of independence, and also because
the Japanese had pressed large numbers of Filipinos into work details and even put
young Filipino women into brothels.

General MacArthur kept his promise to return to the Philippines on 20 October 1944.
The landings on the island of Leyte were accompanied by a force of 700 vessels and
174,000 men. Through December 1944, the islands of Leyte and Mindoro were cleared
of Japanese soldiers. During the campaign, the Imperial Japanese Army conducted a
suicidal defense of the islands. Cities such as Manila (the second most destroyed Allied
city in WWII) were reduced to rubble. Between 500,000 and 1,000,000 Filipinos died
during the occupation
The Huks.
In the midst of fear and chaos, some farmers of Pampanga banded together and
created local brigades for their protection. Luis Taruc, Juan Feleo, Castro Alejandrino,
and other leaders of organized farmers held a meeting in February 1942 in Cabiao,
Nueva Ecija. In that meeting, they agreed to fight the Japanese as a unified guerrilla
army. Another meeting was held the following month, where in representatives from
Tarlac, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija threshed out various details regarding their
organization, which they agreed to call "Hukbo ng Bayan Laban sa mga Hapon"
or HUKBALAHAP. Taruc was chosen to be the Leader of the group, with Alejandrino as
his right hand man. The members were simply known as Huks!
The Philippine Executive Commission
In accordance the instructions of President Manuel Quezon to Jorge Vargas, the Filipino
officials in Manila were told to enter into agreements and compromises with the
Japanese to mitigate the sufferings of the people under the iron-clad rule of the
Japanese. On January 23, 1942 the Philippine Executive Commission was established,

with Vargas as chairman. the following was appointed as department heads: Benigno
Aquino, Sr., interior; Antonio de las Alas, finance; Jose P. Laurel, justice; Claro M.
Recto, education, health, and public welfare; and Quintin Paredes, public works and
communication; Jose Yulo was named Chief Justice of the Supreme court.
The following month, an election was held for members of The Preparatory Commission
for Philippine Independence (PCPI). The purpose of PCPI is to draw up a constitution
for a free Philippines. Jose Laurel became its head. Against the will of the PCPI
delegates the new Constitution was finalized on July 10, 1943. Two months later it was
ratified by the KALIBAPI, which was the only political party allowed to exist at that
time. KALIBAPI is theacronym for "Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas".
The new constitution, which noticeably lacked a bill of rights contained 12 articles lifted
from the 1935 constitution that fitted the wishes of the Japanese. It was meant to be in
effect only temporarily, while the Philippines still in chaos. After the war, a new
constitution would again be drafted for the new Philippine Republic.
The Second Republic
On September 20 1943, the KALIBAPI- under the leadership of its director general,
Benigno Aquino Sr. held a party convention to elect 54 members of the National
Assembly. The Assembly was actually made up of 108 members; but half of this number
was composed of incumbent governors and city mayors. Jose P. Laurel was elected as
president of the second republic (the first republic was Aguinldo's Malolos Republic) and
both Benigno Aquino Sr. & Ramon Avancena as a vice-presidents. The new republic
was inaugurated on October 14 1943 on the front steps of the legislative building in

Manila. The Philippine flag was hoisted as the national anthem was played. Meanwhile,
the Japanese started using propaganda to gain the trust and confidence
of Filipinos who refused to cooperate with them. They hung giant posters and distribute
their materials that contains such slogans as "the Philippines belong to the Filipinos."
they also used newspapers, movies, and others to publicize the same idea. Promoting
Japanese propaganda was one of the main objectives of the KALIBAPI, but still
Japanese failed to gain the trust of the Filipinos.