The Road to Japanese-Sponsored

Independence
Hardly had the Japanese occupied Manila
when the seeds of the Second Philippine
Republic were sown. In an attempt to win
the loyalty of the Filipinos, Japanese Prime
Minister Hideki Tojo, in January 1942,
announced that Japan would grant the
Philippines the honor of independence
if the Philippines understood Japans real
intentions in the war and cooperated
sincerely with the Japanese. Filipinos were
then fighting bitterly together with the
Americans against the Japanese invaders
in Bataan, Corregidor and other fronts.
A week later, in front of the Japanese Diet,
Tojo noted that much progress has been
made in cooperating with the Japanese
the Japanese have established a military
administration and had successfully
prodded several pre-war political leaders
to create the Philippine Executive
Commission, which would carry out the
Japanese plansand that therefore, plans
for independence would be carried out in
the shortest possible time.
While indeed peace and order had been
restored in Manila, the war was still going
on in Bataan and other fronts, and would
continue for a few more months. Few
Filipinos gave the promise much thought,
seeing it as a ploy to coax them to
cooperate with the Japanese. Those in the
Executive Commissionincluding Laurel,
who was first Commissioner of Justice and
later Commissioner of the Interiorsaw
the possibility of softening the Japanese
demands and for carrying out much
needed reforms in the administration.
They were, after all, on the spot and
Manuel L. Quezon, president of the pre-
war Philippine Commonwealth
governmentthen in Corregidor and later
in exile in the United States had given
them instructions to stay behind and do
the best they could to soften the blow of
enemy occupation.[1]
A year later, Tojo repeated his promise,
prompting the Japanese Military
Administration to exert more pressure on
the Executive Commission to cooperate.
In May 1943, Tojo visited Manila to get a
first-hand view of Philippine conditions,
and again dangled the promise of
independence. Satisfied with his reception
in Manila, Tojo declared that the Filipinos
were cooperating well with Japanese
(when actually they were not, and the
guerrilla resistance movement thrived in
the hills), and thus, Japan would grant the
Philippines the honor of independence
within the year.

Laurel and the 1943 Constitution
As a concrete step towards Japanese-
sponsored independence, the Japanese
mandated that a Preparatory Commission
for Philippine Independence (PCPI) be
created. Laurel was named president of
the body, which was tasked with drafting
the constitution for the republic to be.
The Japanese had their own ideas on how
the constitution was to be framed, and
they made no secret of it.[2]
Laurel, however, was shot at by a guerrilla
believing Laurel was too pro-Japanese.
Laurel survived the attempt, although he
was badly wounded and had to be
confined at the Philippine General
Hospital. Even before he had fully
recovered, he met with the PCPI members
and, from his hospital bed, postulated his
own ideas on how the constitution should
beregardless of what the Japanese
wanted. Laurel immediately showed that
he was in charge. With his long experience
in government, as well as his role in
framing the 1935 Constitution, Laurel
knew what the country needed and how
the Constitution should be shaped.[3]
The ensuing 1943 constitution established
a republican government with a strong
executive, which Laurel felt was important
for that time, for more direct action. It
stressed the duties and obligations of the
people rather than their rights and
privileges, so as to mobilize the nation so
that it may survive during the emergency
period. This constitution, however, was
categorically temporary, until the end of
the war. Once peaceful conditions were
restored, the transitory provisions of the
constitution clearly stated that a new one
would be promulgated to suit the times.
The Japanese had kept close watch over
the PCPI and the draft constitution, and
saw great similarities between it and the
1935 Constitution. The US democratic
tradition still showed, and it was
completely different from the Japanese
Constitution, which they probably hoped
would be emulated. The Japanese tried to
get some changes and objected to some
points, such as the absence of military
conscriptionbut Laurel stood his
ground.[4]
Even though Laurel tried to push his ideas
while keeping the Japanese at bay, most
Filipinos could not see the high-level
conflicts and joked that PCPI actually
meant Please Cancel Philippine
Independence, because a Japanese-
sponsored independence would not be
real. Laurel would have to contend with
this sentiment when he became
president.

Toward the Presidency
On September 7, 1943, Laurel delivered
an extemporaneous speech at the
Legislative Building in front of a special
assembly of the Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod
sa Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI), the semi-
political organization the Japanese had
created to replace all pre-war political
parties. Laurel explained the highlights of
the Constitutionand also his political
philosophy, and in so doing, urged that
the Constitution be ratified.
This Constitution, Laurel stated, was a
constitution of action, because those days
were days of action. These are days of
responsibility; these are days of courage;
these are days of determination; these are
days of life and death, continued Laurel,
and so a strong executive was needed. He
explained the various other aspects of the
constitution and why they were needed at
that time. The speech was very well
receivedrounds of applause cut in
oftenand it was reproduced and
translated into the major Philippine
languages and given wide distribution.
A catch phrase he used in the speech
One Nation, One Heart, One Republic
became a slogan which was embodied in
posters and the newspapers. The
Constitution was duly ratified by the
KALIBAPI general assembly.[5]
The KALIBAPI assembly then elected
members of the national assembly for the
republic-to-be. The assemblymen then
proceeded to elect the president of the
country.
Laurel was undoubtedly the most
qualified to be president. He was virtually
the father of the 1943 Constitution, was
eloquent, had a full grasp of the situation
and a clear idea of where and how he
wanted to direct the country. He could
also deal with the Japanese as he had
their respect. This was obvious to the
PCPI, to the KALIBAPI, and to most
Filipinos. He was, thus, unanimously
elected as president on September 25,
1943 by the National Assembly.
Even the Japanese approved of Laurel,
because they felt hehaving served as
lawyer for some Japanese before the war
and having had a son study in the
Japanese Military Academy, in addition to
his own honorary doctorate from the
University of Tokyowould be pro-
Japanese. In this, they were wrong.
Shortly after the election, Laurel, together
with Speaker of the National Assembly
Benigno Aquino and outgoing Chairman of
the Executive Commission Jorge B. Vargas,
were summoned to Tokyo for a meeting
with Prime Minister Tojo. After some
pleasantries, Tojo urged Laurel to declare
war against the U.S. It became clear that
this was the strongly attached to early
independence. It was too late now to
refuse the Japanese independence offer;
but it was unthinkable that the Philippines
would do as Tojo wished. Laurel walked
the tightrope using tact: he argued that
the Filipino people, would not accede to it
and besides, he was not popular enough
to win the people over. Furthermorein
Laurels own wordsit would not be
decent for the Filipinos to declare war
against the United States that was their
benefactor and ally only unworthy
people could be expected to do
that.[6] Laurel was thus able to stave off
the Japanese condition for independence,
but he knew he would not be able to keep
it away forever.
All of this had been happening with no
concrete date set for independence. Only
during the visit of Laurels party to Tokyo
was the date publicly set: October 14,
1943.

President of the Second Philippine
Republic
In lavish ceremonies accompanied by a
four-day holiday, the Japanese Military
Administration was terminated and
withdrawn and the Second Philippine
Republic was born. Laurel took his oath as
presidentin Tagalogand then
delivered his inaugural address. In this
address, Laurel did not just point out the
priorities and directions of his
government, but also presented his social,
economic and political philosophy. The
addressthe first speech presented in
this booksought both solutions to
immediate and concrete problems, such
as the loss of morals, national unity and
economic security.
Although todays conditions are not as
severe as in 1943, the philosophy and
solutions Laurel offered, hold
contemporary relevance.
To view Laurels administration in proper
perspective, the conditions of the
Philippines in late 1943 have to be
examined. First of all, the Second World
War was brewing in Europe and Asia. The
Japanese military presence dominated the
Japanese-occupied Philippines, and even
though independence had been declared,
the Laurel government had to sign a pact
of alliance with Japan. Part of the pact
stated in no uncertain terms that the
Philippines will afford all kinds of facilities
for military actions to be undertaken by
Japan; the Philippines and Japan will
closely cooperate with each other to
safeguard the territorial integrity and
independence of the Philippines.[7]
The Japanese army and navy, then, were
in the Philippines to stay, and the threat
of Japan recruiting Filipinos to fight in the
war loomed large.
As if to dramatize the situation, Japanese
garrisons and outposts ringed Malacaang
Palace. In September 1944, some 10,000
Japanese servicemen surrounded the
palace and some 100,000 armed Japanese
occupied the whole of Greater Manila. In
mid-1944, no less than the Commanding
General of Japans Southern Armywhich
covered not just the Philippines but the
whole of Southeast Asia and New
Guineamade Manila his headquarters.
Laurel had only 300 Presidential Guards to
defend the palace.[8]
The Japanese military itself was not a
homogenous organization, and the
Japanese Army and Navy were keen rivals
for power, resources and publicity. In
addition to the Japanese military was the
Japanese embassy, which represented
other Japanese interests.
The Damocles Sword of the Japanese
military thus hung over Laurels head.
With the war going on, the Japanese also
reasoned that Laurel had no military
forces of his own to defend the republic
against outside attack (meaning the U.S.)
or internal threats (the guerrillas), and
thus the Japanese military would have to
stay on ostensibly to defend the
sovereignty of the republic.
The Japanese military presence and the
war led to corollary problems, among
them a shortage of food, clothing, fuel
and other basic commodities. The
Japanese Military Administration had
taken over most of the pre-war
government owned or controlled
corporations, and had created controlled
agencies to supervise the acquisition,
transport and distribution of foods, fuel,
prime commodities, and sugar. Just before
independence, the Japanese returned the
National Rice and Corn Corporation to
Filipino hands, but kept all others, even
after independence. With these strategic
commodities out of Filipino hands, the
republic was crippled economically.
To make matters more difficult, the peace
and order situation was deteriorating
rapidly, with the guerrilla movement
gaining more adherents and sympathizers
daily. In addition to the guerrillas, there
were criminal elements and others posing
as guerrillas, but were actually bandits.
Within the government itself were some
unscrupulous and corrupt persons, which
gave government a bad image to the
public.
Above all this, most people felt that the
government was a puppet government,
and while the people understood the
position and ideals of Laurel, many did not
take the republic seriously.
Laurel was aware of all these, and said to
a friend, This independence we have is
an independence which is not
independence. You have the {Japanese}
Navy on one side, the {Japanese} Army on
the other, the guerrillas, the Embassy and
my own government. Five in all![9]
Laurel had to walk a dangerous tightrope
then, balancing himself and his aims with
the various forces arrayed against the
Republic. He had to give in when it was
impossible to push hard, to gain more
advantageous position in other areas and
to forward the interests of the Philippines
and the Filipinos.
Upon taking office, Laurel had to take
immediate action to try to ease the
burdens bearing on the country. The
number one problem was to provide food
to the residents of Manila and other cities.
He called for unitythis theme that he
kept harping on in his various speeches.
After all, on this, depended national
survival.
Laurel took various steps to solve the food
problem: reorganizing the rice control
agencies; giving farmers more recognition
and raising the governments buying price;
increasing food production and
distribution were also dependent on other
factors, not all of which were in the hands
of the republic.
Shortage of fuel and transportation was
one cause of the food crisis, but control of
these remained in Japanese hands. Laurel
would try hard to get them transferred to
the republic, but the Japanese argued that
since these were necessary for the army
and navy they could not be transferred.
He would try to organize a separate
transportation company run by the
government, but due to practical
problems it was short lived.[10]
Related to the shortage of food and other
basic commodities was inflation, and
again Laurel used a variety of steps to deal
with it: creating special courts to try
profiteers, increasing penalties against
those who unjustly raise prices; and
raising government salaries, among
others.
The deteriorating peace and order
situation also had to be addressed, as it
threatened the stability and even the life
of the government. Initially Laurel tried to
win the guerrillas by offering an amnesty
and suspending all Japanese operations
during the period allotted for guerrillas to
avail of that amnesty. The Japanese did
not like the plan, preferring to keep up
military pressure, but Laurel prevailed.
Laurel planned to strengthen the
constabulary in lieu of an army, partly to
combat unlawful elements but also to
remove the Japanese excuse they had to
stay to maintain peace and order. He also
tried to build up the morale of the peace
officers by giving awards (such as the
Order of Tirad Pass) to those who served
the government heroically.
Laurel also had to protect Filipinos from
Japanese abuses and depredations. Well
known were his refusals to turn over
Manuel Roxas and then Major Jesus
Vargas to the Japanese military police. He
repeatedly protested to the Japanese
embassy and military officials incidence of
slapping, beatings, unwarranted arrests
and other abuses and human indignities.
The Japanese, however, chose not to act
on them, most of the time.
Extremely important was to win the
loyalty and support of the people, and
many of Laurels speeches focused on
convincing the people that independence
and the government were realbut the
people had to believe in it and give it a
chance.
He promptly rid Malacaang of Japanese
guards and advisers and embarked on a
program of government to cleanse it of
crooked elements so that the people
would be more responsive to his
administration.
Aside from responding to immediate
conditions, he also exerted much effort in
transforming his vision for the Philippines
into action. This vision involved social,
political and economic reforms which
would set the Philippines on the right
course even after the war.
Politically, he reorganized the
government, streamlining it and making it
more responsive to the immediate needs
and long-term needs. He abolished non-
performing offices, combined others for
efficiency, and created two new offices:
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the
Ministry of Economic Affairs, specifically
to address the nations economic
problems.[11]
Morally, he continued the pre-war code
committee and urged it to come up with a
civil code which would bolster the
Filipinos civic and moral standing. In his
inaugural address and other speeches,
Laurel spoke of the role of women, the
family, the need to strengthen the moral
fiber of the nation and the need for moral
regeneration. The code committee
embodied some of his ideas, but the
result of its work was not published during
Laurels presidency.[12]
The Laurel administration, seeing the
need for uniting the people, sponsored a
contest for a national symbol around
which the people could rally and identify
with. Time was too short, however, and
the results of this contest were forgotten
after the war.
Laurel likewise sought to strengthen the
Filipino character, developing traditional
values, respecting the flag and the
national language, resurging educational
endeavors that would further develop the
nations people. Many of his speeches
were delivered in Tagalog; several of his
speeches called for Tagalog as the
national language.
Laurel saw the need for a balanced and
self-sufficient economy. His creation of
the Ministry of Economic Affairs showed
the importance he attached to sound
economic development. He organized
scientists and gave them incentives to
develop local medicines, food and other
local substitutes for imported items.
Under his guidance, the National
Assembly passed an act creating the
Central Bank, and concrete steps were
taken to print Philippine money, so the
next-to-useless Mickey Mouse money
could be replaced and the Republic could
enjoy financial independence. Actual test
samples of bills for the Second Republic
in Tagalogwere printed, but technical
problems delayed their circulation.
In the limited time that he had, Laurel also
tried social reform and was even able to
distribute actual land titles to the
residents of the Buenavista estate, an
estate bought by the government before
the war but whose redistribution had
been delayed.
The Japanese had hoped Laurel would
follow their prodding and hints and act as
a puppet president, but they were
disappointed. Laurel was clear on where
his loyalties layin the Philippines and
Filipinosand he stood up to the
Japanese by pressing themas well as the
Filipino peopleto make Philippine
independence, real.
Continued Japanese attempts to pressure
Laurel to declare war and mobilize
Filipinos to fight together with Japan were
strongly resisted by the President. He
reasoned out to the Japanese military and
diplomatic leaders in the Philippines that
the country could not afford fighting
another war, having already suffered in
1941-1942. Much precious Filipino blood
had been spilt there, and the economy
was ravagedhence, it was not advisable
for the Philippines to join in the war. Only
in September 1944, when American
carrier-based planes bombed Manila, did
Laurel have no choice. Even so, he
declared a state of wara passive
expression of realityand announced
that there would be no conscription. And
he did not have it ratified by the National
Assembly to make it legally binding.
Some Japanese, thwarted in many of their
desires and plans, actually planned a coup
d etat to replace Laurel with someone
more pliable and more sympathetic to the
Japanese cause. Actual preparations for
the coup had been made, but the more
sober Japanese officers were able to
dissuade the radicals from pursuing that
line of action for fear it would completely
alienate the Filipino people.
With the return of the Americans, the
Japanese did mobilize a seemingly pro-
Japanese armed organizationthe
Kalipunang Makabayan ng mga Pilipino, or
Makapili for shortagainst the wishes of
Laurel, and outside of the government.
They virtually forced Laurel to attend the
inauguration of the group, and then
forced Laurel and his Cabinet to evacuate
to Baguio, and later to Japan.
The Second Republic effectively ceased to
function with the departure of President
Laurel from Manila, although skeleton
government offices continued to operate
until February 1945. With the re-
establishment of the Commonwealth
government and Laurels subsequent
forced departure for Japan, the republic
existed only on paper, and was finally
officially dissolved by Laurel upon the
Japanese surrender to the Allied powers,
on August 17, 1945.

Laurel Statement, August 17, 1945
In view of the reoccupation of the
Philippines by the United States and the
re-establishment therein of the
Government of the Commonwealth of the
Philippines, the acceptance by Japan of
the Postdam Declaration of July 26, 1945,
and the consequent termination of the
Greater East Asia War, the Republic of the
Philippines had ceased to exist.