Lesson 5.

The Japanese Colonial

Government in the Philippines
and the Second Republic

Philippine Politics and Governance

General Academic Strand | Humanities and Social Sciences
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2
We celebrate our nation’s independence every June 12.

Declaration of Independence as depicted in a five-peso bill

3
June 12, 1898
marks the end
of 333 years of
Spanish colonial
rule.

4
Did you know
that there was a
“second”
independence
day?

5
October 14, 1943
marks the
inauguration of
the Second
Republic and
celebration of
independence
from the United
States.
6
 Learning ● Relate the evolution of Philippine politics and
Competencies
governance (HUMSS_PG12-If-g-19).

● Describe the different stages in the evolution

of the Philippine politics and governance
(HUMSS_PG12-If-g-20).

● Analyze the evolution of Philippine politics

and governance (HUMSS_PG12-If-g-21).

7
 Learning ● Describe how political institutions evolved
Objectives
under the Japanese rule.

● Explain politics and governance in the

Philippines during the Japanese occupation.

● Analyze the characteristics of the Second

Republic established under the Japanese
rule.

8
 How to be Free?
Explore
Watch this video and answer the following guide questions.

Scan or click
this!

9
 What message did the Japanese try to
Explore
propagate through their Filipino
collaborators?

10
 Do you think an independent
Explore
government can be established through
foreign invasion and interference?
Explain your answer.

11
 In your opinion, what is an independent
Explore
government?

12
Essential
Question

How were political institutions shaped under

the Japanese rule?

13
 The Japanese Invasion

December 7, 1941
Japan launched
surprise attacks on
US military bases in
Pearl Harbor

Map showing areas of Japanese attacks 14

 The Japanese Invasion

Map showing Allied forces (Red) and Central

The Philippines was a powers (Blue) in Southeast Asia

US colony with a
strategic naval
position in the Pacific.
● The US Asiatic Fleet
was stationed in
Luzon.
15
 The Japanese Invasion

● Japan had to subdue the Philippines to keep the United

States from gaining a positional advantage.
● The Philippines was caught in a crossfire between two world
superpowers.
16
 The Japanese Invasion

Manila as an open city Commonwealth retreat

17
The Japanese Invasion

High-ranking Filipino officials

who remained in the Philippines

Jorge Vargas Jose Abad Santos Jose P. Laurel

(Manila Mayor) (Acting President) (Associate Justice)
18
 The Japanese Invasion

April 9, 1942
The Fall of Bataan completed the Japanese military occupation
of the Philippines. 19
Preparation for “Independence”

Japanese General
Masaharu Homma:
“to emancipate you from
the oppressive
domination of the United
States of America, letting
you establish the
Philippines for the
Celebration of Japanese-sponsored
“independence”
Filipinos…”
20
 Preparation for “Independence”

Purpose of Japanese
occupation
● to advance “Asia for the
Asiatics” campaign
● to show that Japan liberated
the Philippines
● to prevent Filipino-American
cooperation against Japan
21
 Check
Your
Progress

What would have happened if the Japanese did

not promise an independent Philippine state?

22
 Preparation for “Independence”

Philippine Executive Commission (PEC)

appointed

Japanese General Jorge B. Vargas

Masaharu Homma (Chairman of PEC)

23
 Preparation for “Independence”

Philippine Executive
Commission
● held executive and
legislative powers Central
● directly supervised by the Government
Japanese military
administration
● had Japanese advisers in
every department
24
 Preparation for “Independence”
Structure of the Philippine Executive Commission
Japanese Commander-in-Chief

Chairman of the
Philippine Executive Commission

Interior Justice Finance Agriculture and

Commerce
Education, Health,
and Public Welfare
Public Works and
Communications

Japanese Japanese Japanese Japanese Japanese Japanese

Advisers Advisers Advisers Advisers Advisers Advisers

25
 Preparation for “Independence”

Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa
Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI)
● It was the sole and
exclusive political
Party System
organization.
● The Philippine Executive
Commission dissolved all
other existing political
parties.
26
 Preparation for “Independence”

KALIBAPI

● a movement to support
Philippine liberation through
the help of Japan
● ensured that only those who
were pro-Japanese could take
government positions
Benigno Aquino Sr. served as
director-general of KALIBAPI.

27
 Preparation for “Independence”

Preparatory Commission for

Philippine Independence
(PCPI)
● organized by the KALIBAPI Constitutional
under the Japanese directives Convention
● tasked to prepare a draft
constitution for a “new and
independent” Philippine
republic
28
 Preparation for “Independence”

Preparatory Commission for

Philippine Independence
(PCPI)
● The 1943 Constitution was
approved on September 4,
1943.
● This served as the basis for
the establishment of the
Second Philippine Republic.
Jose P. Laurel served as president of PCPI. 29
Second Philippine Republic

1943 Constitution
preserved almost all
provisions of the 1935
Constitution Constitution of the US-
directed Commonwealth
government, except the
manner of electing the
president
30
Second Philippine Republic

1943 Constitution

Form Republic

System Unitary

Executive President

Legislative Unicameral National Assembly

Judiciary Supreme Court and lower courts

31
 Second Philippine Republic

National Assembly
● no popular elections held
● had a total of 108 members
○ 54 elected by the KALIBAPI Legislative
○ 54 incumbent mayors and Branch
governors as ex officio
members

32
Second Philippine Republic

National Assembly
elected
elected

Jose P. Laurel
(Philippine President)
Benigno Aquino Sr.
(Speaker of the Assembly) 33
 Second Philippine Republic

October 14, 1943

The Second Republic was inaugurated and the Japanese
military administration was terminated. 34
 Check
Your
Progress
What is the key difference between the
Commonwealth and the Second Philippine
Republic?

35
 Second Philippine Republic

“Puppet State”
The “independent”
Philippine
government was
held hostage by
Japan’s military
might.

36
Second Philippine Republic

“Puppet State”
● overwhelming presence
of the Imperial Japanese
Army
○ 10,000 Japanese soldiers
surrounded Malacañang.
○ 100,000 occupied Manila.
○ Japanese Southern Army
was stationed in Manila.
37
 Second Philippine Republic

“Puppet State”
● Laurel was made to sign
a pact of alliance with
Japan.
○ to afford Japan of all
facilities for its military
actions
○ to safeguard the
territorial integrity of the
Philippines
38
Second Philippine Republic

HUKBALAHAP
● a political movement waging
an armed resistance against
the Japanese
● called for genuine liberation
● widely supported by the
people

39
 Second Philippine Republic

Laurel’s War Policy

● Laurel resisted the
Japanese demands
for the following:
○ military
conscription
○ declaration of
war against the
United States
Filipino pilots
40
 Second Philippine Republic

Laurel’s War Policy

● Laurel declared a “state of
war” after the Americans
bombed Manila in
September of 1944.
● Laurel did not ask for
ratification from the
National Assembly.
US bombing squadron stationed in the Pacific

41
 The Second Philippine Republic

Makapili
● Japanese-established
organization to support to
its military operations
● recruited Filipino fighters
and spies
● depicted in films wearing
bayong with eye holes The Makapili aided the Japanese in
committing atrocities against Filipinos.
42
 The Second Philippine Republic

Makapili
● Filipinos who worked against
fellow Filipinos.
○ versus the HUKBALAHAP
○ versus forces of the
Commonwealth
government

Filipino guerilla fighters 43

 Dissolution of the Second Republic

The US-directed Commonwealth government continued to work

for its return to power in the Philippines.

Pres. Sergio Osmeña took his oath of office in Washington, D.C.

after Manuel Quezon died of tuberculosis.
44
Dissolution of the Second Republic

US forces invasion of Re-establishment of

the Philippines the Commonwealth

Return of American General Pres. Osmeña with US officials

MacArthur to the Philippines in Leyte
45
 Dissolution of the Second Republic

Two Governments (October–November 1944)

● American-sponsored ● Japanese-sponsored
Commonwealth Second Republic
● President Sergio Osmeña ● President Jose P. Laurel
● Seat of power: Tacloban ● Seat of power: Baguio
46
 Dissolution of the Second Republic

The Philippines liberated Japanese surrendered to

from the Japanese. the Allied forces.

47
Dissolution of the Second Republic

● US atomic bombings of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
prompted the Japanese
surrender.
● Upon Japan’s defeat,
President Laurel dissolved
the Second Republic on
August 17, 1945.
48
 Dissolution of the Second Republic

● The Supreme Court

nullified all acts and
decisions made by the
Philippine Executive
Commission and the
Second Republic.
● As a result, most events
related to the Second
Republic were forgotten.
The U.S. took custody of Laurel and Aquino. 49
 Dissolution of the Second Republic

Officials of the “puppet

government” were
charged with treason, but
they were given amnesty
by President Manuel
Roxas in 1948.

Laurel’s trial for treason charges

50
Try This! Complete the Flowchart
1. The following flowchart shows the process
of how the Second Philippine Republic was
established.
2. Fill in the correct information to complete
the chart.

51
 Japanese Government

formed the formed the

Try This! (1) Philippine Executive

Commission
formed the

(2)

appointed and drafted the

elected the
members of
(3)

the basis for the replaced the

Legislative Branch: Judicial Branch: Executive Branch:

(4) Supreme Court (5)

elected the
 ● After the American occupation, the road to
Philippine independence was interrupted by the
Wrap-Up
Japanese invasion of the Philippines in 1941. The
Japanese colonizers immediately established a
colonial government through a military
administration and the Philippine Executive
Commission (PEC).
● Several institutions were set up under the Japanese
occupation. The KALIBAPI, an exclusive political
party, was formed. Its purpose was to make sure
that only those who were pro-Japan would be
appointed in crucial government positions. 53
 ● The Preparatory Commission for Philippine
Wrap-Up Independence (PCPI) drafted the 1943
Constitution. The KALIBAPI elected members of the
National Assembly with Jose P. Laurel as president.
This led to the inauguration of the Second
Philippine Republic.
● President Laurel's government remained under the
control of the Japanese. His government was
dubbed a puppet government.

54
 ● The Second Republic was dissolved after the
Wrap-Up Imperial Japanese Army was defeated in the Second
World War. The American-sponsored
Commonwealth was re-established, and all laws
and decisions made during the Second Republic
were rendered invalid.

55
 Puppet or Independent?
Challenge
Yourself
Analyze the factors for which the Second
Philippine Republic may be considered as a
“puppet government” or an independent
state. Complete the following organizational
chart.

56
Challenge
Yourself

Second
puppet Philippine independent
Republic

57
Photo Credits Bibliography

● Slide 4: Aguinaldo Shrine (Kawit, Cavite) by Shubert

Agoncillo, Teodoro A. History of the Filipino People. Quezon
Ciencia is licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia
Commons. City: Garotech, 1990.

● Slide 15: Second world war asia 1943-1945 map de

by San Jose is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Jose, Ricardo T. “Dr. Jose P. Laurel as President of the Second
Wikimedia Commons. Philippine Republic.” Presidential Museum and Library.

● Slide 16: Flag map of the Philippines by Aira Accessed December 15, 2020.
Cutamora derivative work by Fry1989 is licensed http://malacanang.gov.ph/5237-dr-jose-p-laurel-as-
under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
president-of-the-second-philippine-republic/.

“Second Philippine Republic.” Presidential Museum and

Library. Accessed December 15, 2020.
http://malacanang.gov.ph/5235-70th-anniversary-of-
the-second-philippine-republic/.

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